Code Geass, Lelouch of the Resurrection
by Josuwa
Summary: It is several years after Lelouch Lamperouge's death. The world is once again plunged into war with the establishment of the Holy Empire of Equitoria. When all hope is lost, will Zero once again return to save the day? A FanFic of epic proportions!
1. The Resurrection

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Code Geass nor any concepts related to Code Geass. All rights, permissions, and characters are reserved and owned by Bandai.**

**At the end of Code Geass, one question remained in all of our minds… Was Lelouch really dead? Was Zero Requiem a success and did the world really unite as one?**

**My take on what happens several years after the end of Code Geass, with the introduction of some new characters I've come up with myself. So it begins…**

* * *

**Code Geass, Lelouch of the Resurrection: The Resurrection**

In a remote countryside of what was once the great Britannian Empire, it rained. It rained like the gods themselves wept over the earth. Lightning flashed across the sky and thunder cracked. It had been this way for over a month. Humanity was always prone to repeating the mistakes it had once made. Pollution ran rampant. The population boomed. With progress there must always come a cost. Somebody always had to bear the burden.

Worst of all, there was war. Peace could only last so long. Somebody always had to rise to power. With power came the abuse of it. A man known solely by the title of "The Demon Emperor", a title still fresh in the minds of those who had come under the rule of the 99th Emperor of the Holy Empire of Britannia, Lelouch Lamperouge, had established a new Holy Empire; The Holy Empire of Equitoria.

The Demon Emperor was the epitome of evil. A manifestation of the devil himself. With more than half of the world under his possession, it was as if everything had returned to how they were just five years before. The Empire waged war against all other countries in an attempt to take over the world. In the midst of despair, of suffering and turmoil, one question hung on the lips of all the people.

"Where was Zero?"

Indeed, the order of Black Knights had mysteriously vanished without a trace. Were they defeated in battle? Did they flee and leave the world to suffer under the rule of The Demon Emperor? Nobody knew. All they could do was pray and hope for a better tomorrow. Somebody had to rise up against The Demon Emperor. The question was… Who would be brave enough to do it? Who had the power to do so?

There was another great flash of lightning. For a moment, it lit up the entire landscape. In that fraction of time, a lone church upon a hill, broken and dilapidated, was illuminated. Unbeknownst to all, the answer lay hidden within the recesses of the church. This was, after all, where the body of Lelouch Lamperouge was buried.

The interior of the church was a ruin. The altar was crumbling and debris was scattered all over the ground. Paintings on its walls were flaked and peeling, though they portrayed ironical images of love and forgiveness amongst men. There were numerous holes in the roof and water dripped incessantly from them. In the midst of the cruel storm, a lone hooded figure was walking at a hurried pace up the hill to what was left of the great oak doors of the church.

Upon entering the church, the lone figure shed his hood, revealing a young man. He had auburn brown hair that appeared plastered to his face, wet with rain. He was tall and lanky, and walked in large strides. He had handsome features, save for a small scar on his left cheek. Last but not least, he had a large bejeweled sword. This man was Kururugi Suzaku, greatest ally of Lelouch Lamperouge.

Suzaku was looking for something. He stood at the church entrance, scanning it for any signs of life. Apparently whatever it was he was looking for was not going to reveal itself. He decided to approach the ruined church altar at a steady pace. Upon arriving at the altar, he knelt down, bowed his head, and prayed. Save for the torrential rain outside, nothing else could be heard. Silence permeated the church. A silence that was broken abruptly by a deep female voice, devoid of all human emotion.

"I was wondering who it was."

Suzaku lifted his eyes to locate the source of the voice. His eyes immediately fell upon a woman, lying on the altar with her legs in the air, her head turned towards him. Her arms hung over the edge of the altar, swaying lazily. Suzaku gave a weak smile.

"I knew it had to be her. Who else could it have been?" Suzaku thought to himself, rather amused.

The woman had abundantly long green hair that seemed to cascade off the altar like an emerald waterfall. She was no doubt beautiful but perhaps her most striking facial feature was her pair of golden eyes. Golden eyes that gave her the look of an all encompassing goddess void of emotion and feelings.

"Kururugi Suzaku. Long time no see." the woman continued nonchalantly, her eyes fixed on Suzaku like a predator about to pounce on its prey. Suzaku returned her gaze with a friendly smile.

"Still as boring as ever C.C." Suzaku teased.

C.C slid herself of the altar silently and walked slowly towards Suzaku, who was still kneeling on the ground.

"What's she up to now?" Suzaku thought to himself, a bit more worried than he was letting on.

C.C proceeded to walk past him. Suzaku took that as a cue to get up from his kneeling position.

"Follow me." C.C ordered him.

"Bossy as ever aren't we?" he replied. She ignored him and continued walking. He shrugged his shoulders and followed her. Before long, they were outside of the church in the relentless rain, standing at the foot of a magnificent and rather foreboding tree. Directly in front of them was a small mound of earth, marked by a large rock. Engraved upon the rock were two words.

"Lelouch Lamperouge."

Suzaku stood there silently, eyes fixed upon the stone. Here lay the body of the man he had personally slain. His best friend. Once his worst enemy. Suzaku clenched his fist tightly. He fought back the tears.

"We're going to bring him back." C.C said, without a trace of emotion.

A streak of lightning flashed across the sky. Suzaku stood rooted to the spot.

"Did she just say…?" Suzaku thought to himself. Was it possible?

He turned slowly to look at C.C, who returned his gaze.

"Bring him back..?" Suzaku began weakly.

C.C nodded silently. Her eyes were unreadable.

"But how..?" Suzaku continued, still unbelieving of her proposition. Yet, a small part of him wanted to believe. If there was anyone that could bring the world back to order, it was Lelouch. He had done it once. He could possibly do it again. With all these thoughts in mind, Suzaku patiently awaited her answer.

"Geass." came the answer.

"Geass…" he repeated. They continued to look at each other. In the midst of the storm, in the midst of the darkness engulfing the world, it seemed as if a small ray of hope had emerged.

"I see. So this time I'll be the one to receive the Geass?" Suzaku began, reading her intentions.

"Who else?" she replied. "You're the only one here are you not?"

Suzaku chuckled. He turned his attention back to the grave that lay at his feet. He found himself unconsciously reading the two words on the stone that marked it.

"Lelouch Lamperouge."

Suzaku closed his eyes and reflected for a minute. C.C watched him intently, without saying a word. The seconds passed by. The moment seemed to last an eternity.

"If you don't mind I'd rather you make your decision a bit quicker? I'm getting soaked here." C.C complained, not a hint of annoyance in her voice.

Suzaku opened his eyes. It had to be done.

"Bestow upon me the Geass, C.C. Let's bring Lelouch back." Suzaku affirmed with resolution.

A faint smile crept across C.C's face.

"So you miss him too huh?" Suzaku thought to himself, amused. "Who knew that you could feel something for another human being?"

C.C turned her back on him and walked into the church, only to return a minute later with a rusty spade.

"Dig him up. We don't want him coming back to life while he's still buried now do we?" she stated matter-of-factly to Suzaku. There was no hiding the anticipation in her voice now.

"Haha. I guess." Suzaku replied, albeit a bit reluctantly.

He took the spade from her and began to dig. If it had been under normal circumstances, Suzaku would have been rather apprehensive about digging up a corpse. However, with eyes that shined with determination, Suzaku dug. The rain beat down upon his hunched back. A mound of dirt began to build up next to the grave as Suzaku shoveled without pause. Suddenly, there came a loud clunk.

"Finally!" Suzaku exclaimed. He knelt down in the mud and pushed back the earth with his bare hands, revealing a dirty bone. He continued the task and after a great length of time, uncovered an entire skeleton. Lelouch's skeleton.

"Now for the Geass." came C.C's voice from behind him.

Suzaku nodded, a smile across his face. He found himself shaking slightly. Half of him was afraid that the plan would go horribly wrong. Half of him was shaking in excitement at the prospects of Lelouch's resurrection.

"What if he doesn't want to come back?" Suzaku found himself suddenly asking.

Silence. Thunder rumbled somewhere in the distance. Suzaku turned to face C.C. His hands were covered in dirt. The hilt of his sword gleamed, droplets of water running along it. Fire was in his eyes. C.C smiled.

"Don't worry about minor details like that. Lelouch isn't the sort of person who would be bothered by the minor details." she answered.

"Minor details eh?" Suzaku thought. She was right. The world needed Lelouch now. The Black Knights needed him. He needed Lelouch. She probably needed Lelouch too.

Suzaku turned to look at the skeleton in the dug-up grave for a brief moment.

"I'm sorry Lelouch. I'm going to be a little bit selfish." Suzaku apologized mentally to the corpse.

He turned back to C.C.

"I'm ready."

"About time." She answered, still smiling.

There was a bright flash of light. Suzaku's eyes widened as dozens of incomprehensible images flooded his mind. He let out a gasp. C.C's voice rang in his head.

"In exchange for this power, you must agree to make my one wish come true. Accept this contract, and you accept its conditions. While living in the world of humans, you will live unlike any other: a different providence, a different time, a different life. The Power of Resurrection will condemn you to a life of solitude."

Everything went black. Silence. After several seconds, the sound of the rain became audible again. The sensation of the rain-drops falling onto his face returned. Suzaku opened his eyes.

There was a strange burning sensation in his left eye.

"Guess the contract's done." he mused. He was lying spread eagle on the ground, looking up into the stormy sky.

"We're not done yet." came C.C's voice from somewhere to his left. He pushed himself into a sitting position.

"What Geass did you bestow upon me?" he asked her, even though he full well knew the answer.

"What other Geass could bring Lelouch back to life? Clearly you're not as intelligent as you look." C.C replied blankly.

He knew that was coming. Smiling to himself, Suzaku stood up and turned to the skeleton in the grave. He didn't know why but for some reason, he knew exactly how to use the Geass.

"Lelouch, please come back to us!"

What happened in the next moment was gruesome to look at. It was as if time played backwards. The skeleton began to shudder as flesh appeared on its bones. Suzaku clearly saw the organs being reformed. Soon came the skin and it ended with jet black hair sprouting out from the skull. There was a bright flash of lightning and a great rumble of thunder. Lelouch was back.

Lelouch began to stir. His eyes opened slowly. His gaze fell upon Suzaku and C.C, both of whom were gazing at him with looks of wonder and fear. He opened his mouth to speak.

"C.C..? Suzaku..? What's… Going on..?"

His voice was hoarse and weak. He had after all, been slumbering for several years.

"It's a long story. I'll explain later." Suzaku replied, unable to hide the smile on his face as well as the tears that flowed from his eyes. He held out his hand to Lelouch, who grasped it. Suzaku then proceeded to pull Lelouch out of the grave and into a standing position. Lelouch looked around.

"I think it's best to go inside now. The weather's pretty bad." Suzaku suggested.

He turned to C.C and was surprised to find her blushing deep red.

"What's the matter C.C?" Suzaku asked, curious as to the sudden change of her expression.

C.C did not reply and instead proceeded to dash into the church. She returned a minute later with a tattered and torn sheet.

"Put some clothes on!" she shouted angrily and threw the sheet at Lelouch's feet. She then proceeded to run back into the church.

Suzaku turned to Lelouch and it was then that he noticed the source of C.C's embarrassment.

"I knew I was missing something" Suzaku thought to himself, trying to contain his laughter. He picked up the cloth at Lelouch's feet and draped him with it.

"Suzaku. What's… Going on?" Lelouch began, thoroughly confused at the entire matter.

Suzaku did laugh out loud now.

"It's a long story. I'll tell you about it later ok?"

He then proceeded to lead Lelouch into the church.

The rain began to lighten up. Soon, rays of light pierced the dark clouds, flooding the gray landscape with colour. Lelouch of the rebellion had returned.

* * *

**How's that for an opening chapter? I'll be updating this FanFic a bit slowly because my exams are around the corner. Look forward to the next chapter though. The rebellion begins!**

**Please review this FanFic! Arigato!**


	2. The Reconciliation

******DISCLAIMER: I do not own Code Geass nor any concepts related to Code Geass. All rights, permissions, and characters are reserved and owned by Bandai.**

**Lelouch's resurrection, a ray of hope in the dark times of The Demon Emperor's reign of terror. What will he do when he finds out that Zero Requiem did not go as planned?**

**My take on what happens several years after the end of Code Geass, with the introduction of some new characters I've come up with myself. So it begins…**

* * *

**Code Geass, Lelouch of the Resurrection: The Reconciliation**

Lelouch sat huddled up in a torn and tattered sheet, feeling dreadfully cold. The rain had stopped not too long ago and the sun was out. It shined through the numerous gaps in the roof, casting tiny spots of light all over the ground. Tiny drops of water dripped at a steady pace from the gaps as well. He shivered.

"What's going on?" was one of many thoughts coursing through his mind.

Lelouch, like everybody else, was sure that he had died. Yet, here he was, alive and well though perhaps with a bit less dignity than before. He remembered everything. Zero Requiem. Getting killed by "Zero", or rather, Suzaku disguised as his alter ego. He remembered the intense pain as the blade went through him, the pain slowly fading away as he lost consciousness. The next thing he knew, he had woken up, only to see C.C and Suzaku standing before him. How could he not be utterly confused?

Suzaku had left to go to a nearby town to purchase some clothes and other provisions for him. C.C, on the other hand, was lying on the church altar, arms folded across her chest, her eyes fixed on the church ceiling with its many painted murals.

"She had not changed a single bit." thought Lelouch to himself.

Lelouch contemplated for a moment before getting up. He had to find out what was going on, and if there was anyone who could clear things up for him, it would be her.

"C.C." he called out as he approached her.

"What is it?" came the nonchalant reply. She had not so much as turned to look at him.

"What's going on?" he asked her. He needed answers. Why was he alive? Suzaku had not explained anything to him and had left in a hurry.

C.C continued to gaze up at the ceiling, lost in thought. After a moment, she replied.

"Nothing. You died. You came back to life. That's all there is to it."

Lelouch felt himself rooted to the spot.

"So he had died! So how was it that he was…?" he found himself thinking.

The answer hit him like a pile of bricks. Of course. Geass. He smirked. His ingenious mind had already come up with a dozen scenarios as to why he had been brought back to life, the most likely of which was…

"So… It seems Zero Requiem did not go according to how I had planned it to C.C?" Lelouch implored.

C.C smiled and pushed herself up into a sitting position. She turned to face him, crossing her legs.

"I see you haven't changed a bit either. Always reading two steps ahead…" she said, no doubt amused at his perceptiveness.

"So Suzaku has a Geass that allows him to resurrect the dead now. Quite useful I must say. Although I have a more pressing question to ask you C.C." Lelouch continued, his tone quickly turning serious.

C.C picked up on his change of tone and knew exactly what he had in mind. After all, who had always been the one by his side? Who knew him best? She sighed. As sure as she was that he would eventually ask, she was not exactly ready to do what she had to. It always made her… Uncomfortable.

"I know, Lelouch. It's about your Geass is it not?" she replied. The smile that crept across his face told her that she had guessed right.

"Lelouch. Not even an hour back from the grave and already making me feel so… Dominated." C.C reflected inwardly. She sighed again.

"So I take it I can get my Geass back?" he asked confidently.

"Yes Lelouch. Come here." she muttered. Would he ever pay her back for anything she did?

Lelouch took a seat beside her on the altar and turned to face her. C.C carefully observed those familiar facial features of his. His deep purple eyes, his black hair, that alluring smile of his.

"Close your eyes Lelouch." she commanded. Lelouch looked taken aback.

"Whatever for C.C?" he demanded. She sighed.

"Just do it. It's the only way I can give you back your Geass. Do it now!" she responded. She hoped that he did not pick up the subtle blush on her face.

With a look that showed his obvious annoyance at being ordered around by her, he closed his eyes and waited. C.C closed her own eyes and leaned her face close to his.

As her lips touched his, Lelouch gave a gasp of surprise. Initially, he was shocked by the kiss. Then came the burning sensation in both his eyes, signaling the return of his Geass. Their lips parted. Lelouch opened his eyes, only to see C.C get up and leave.

"Wait, C.C! Where are you going?" he called out to her.

She turned to him and gave him a look of annoyance.

"To wash my mouth out." she replied curtly.

He watched her until she left the church premises. He cupped his face with his hand. All of a sudden, a great urge to laugh gripped him. He let out his high pitched, maniacal laughter, his body shaking. It was too unreal! He was alive! His laughter reverberated off the walls of the church and faded into silence. He paused to catch his breath. He then got off the altar and began to look around for a shard of glass.

Lelouch soon managed to find a shard of glass on the ground which appeared to have come from a broken window. He looked into it. There he was in the glass. With red eyes. His Geass had returned to him. Triumphantly, he threw the shard of glass back onto the ground and smirked.

"Now to find out the details of why Zero Requiem failed to go as I had planned." he thought to himself grimly.

It was at this moment that Suzaku strode into the church, laden with all manner of things. He immediately spotted Lelouch. With his red eyes.

"I guess C.C has cleared up some matters for you?" he questioned, eyebrows raised.

Lelouch smiled. He could not be any gladder to see him. How fortunate he was to have been resurrected by the two people who could give him the answers he needed to all of his questions.

"Not quite. She did give me back my Geass though." Lelouch replied, a smile across his face.

Suzaku's face fell a little. Clearly he wasn't too amused with the return of Lelouch's Geass. After all, it was because of that very power that Suzaku could not die.

"Well at least now I know how you feel to have Geass." Suzaku continued. He then proceeded to put all the things he had purchased on the ground and began to unwrap some of the larger packages. He handed Lelouch a black long-sleeved shirt and matching black pair of jeans.

"Put those on. C.C doesn't take too kindly to your er… nudity." Suzaku finished, a smile forming on his face.

Lelouch smirked. Suzaku had not changed a bit either. How many years had passed since he had died?

"Hmph. Clearly still quite the charmer, Suzaku." Lelouch bemused, while putting on his clothes.

"These fit pretty well. Anything else?" Lelouch implored.

Suzaku then went on to unpack several packets of biscuits and carton of fruit.

"How much stuff did he buy anyway?" Lelouch thought to himself, amused. Clearly somebody had kept up the training regime even after he was gone.

"These will have to do for now. Couldn't get you anything better to eat." Suzaku said apologetically.

Lelouch shrugged. He was not as hungry as he thought he would be anyway.

"Shall we wait for C.C to return before tucking in?" Lelouch suggested. "There's so much I still need to ask the both of you."

Suzaku nodded. They waited several minutes before C.C came wandering back into the church. She spotted the food and her eyes widened. Lelouch smirked. He knew exactly what was going through her mind.

"I see you have not eaten for a long time either eh C.C?" Lelouch questioned. The immortal witch could not die from hunger anyway.

C.C glared at him briefly before setting herself down beside him. She grabbed a biscuit and took a bite.

Suzaku seemed to be deep in thought. There was a moment's silence.

"So, enlighten me on my predicament." Lelouch began.

Suzaku looked up at him. Their eyes met. Lelouch understood almost immediately.

"The world is in a state of chaos now. We're currently in one of the only places which have not yet been scarred by war. It all began with a man bearing the title of The Demon Emperor. He's established what is now known as The Holy Empire of Equitoria and wages war on the world in an attempt to overtake it. His army has vast numbers and…"

Suzaku paused for a moment. Lelouch had anticipated what was coming.

"The Black Knights were obliterated. I, along with a few other members managed to escape and we're currently taking refuge not too far from here." he finished. C.C had lost interest in the conversation and was absent-mindedly gazing at the ceiling again.

Lelouch smiled. He did not know why but he smiled anyway.

"So, it's the same thing as last time all over again." Lelouch said. "How many years has it been?"

"From the time of your death, five years." Suzaku answered.

Lelouch frowned.

"Five years was all it took for humanity to go back to square one…" he found himself thinking sadly.

Lelouch got up abruptly. He knew what had to be done. He turned to Suzaku.

"You can answer the rest of my questions some other time. Right now, take me to what is remaining of The Black Knights!" he commanded.

Suzaku smiled, fire in his eyes. Clearly he had been unable to get into the action for quite some time.

"Yes your highness!" came Suzaku's reply. Lelouch then turned to C.C.

"I will repay you some other time for calling upon Suzaku to aid in my resurrection. As of now, follow me like you always have!"

C.C returned his gaze. Their eyes remained locked for quite some time.

"As long as there's pizza." she replied, an almost playful smile crossing her face.

Lelouch grinned, satisfied.

"C.C must have somehow known that Suzaku was in the vicinity. She's no psychic so the only way she could have known must have been because…" Lelouch considered, thinking hard.

"Suzaku. You escaped here with _Lancelot Albion_ did you not?" Lelouch questioned.

Suzaku smiled knowingly. Lelouch was as sharp as ever.

"Yes, I think C.C realised it was me quite quickly and immediately sent me a message. She left it with somebody in town, hoping that he would spot me and inform me when I visited the town to stock up on supplies. Now that I think about it, it's almost… Too coincidental. Perhaps the gods themselves wished for your resurrection. Did you cause trouble in heaven too Lelouch?" Suzaku answered jokingly.

Lelouch shook his head and cupped his face with his hand.

"By the way, it's not called _Lancelot Albion_ any longer. It's been christened _Lancelot Seraphim_ after some modifications." Suzaku added.

Lelouch felt a bit more re-assured now. At least The Black Knights still had some firepower left.

After packing up, the trio vacated the church. The sky was clear and not a cloud was in sight. The landscape sprawled out beneath them, lush green and dotted with several trees, and in the distance a small town was in sight. A chain of mountains served as a backdrop, giving the scene a picturesque feel.

"We've taken refuge in those mountains beyond the town." Suzaku explained while pointing in the general direction of the town.

"We'd better get moving. Not a second to waste." Lelouch suggested. C.C stood there waiting patiently. If there was one thing immortality granted you, it was patience.

Suzaku nodded in agreement and they set-off for the mountains.

The trek was uneventful and they did not pause to rest. Suzaku led the way whereas Lelouch walked alongside C.C. He took the opportunity to ask her random questions about how things had been since his death. She was unenthusiastic, to say the least, about answering his questions.

An hour went by. They had passed through the town by then. C.C was disappointed that none of the restaurants served pizza. They continued on their way. The mountains loomed ever closer, almost ominously. Before long, they were at the foot of the mountains. The path had stopped abruptly.

"Over here." called out Suzaku, who beckoned for them to follow him.

They were greeted by a rather large and foreboding opening in the mountain wall that led into darkness. Lelouch raised his eyebrows. Suzaku seemed to read his mind.

"The passageway goes on for quite a bit and opens up at the other end."

Satisfied with his answer, Lelouch took a step forward into the darkness after Suzaku, with C.C on his heels. Suzaku proceeded to light a flare to guide their way. They moved on for a long period of time, with Suzaku periodically lighting a new flare whenever the old one gave out.

"Is it just me or is it getting lighter in here?" Lelouch asked.

Before long, an opening was in sight and light flooded into the dark cave passageway. Lelouch stepped out blinking in the sunlight. As his eyes grew accustomed to the brightness, his sight immediately fell upon a magnificent carrier ship. It was a lot smaller than the _Ikaruga_ carrier which The Black Knights had used as an aerial base long before. However, it still had the characteristic dark blue and black colouration of the _Ikaruga_.

"You like it? It's called _The Vestige_" Suzaku said.

"Not too bad." came Lelouch's curt reply, although he was obviously impressed. C.C seemed to reminiscence as she gazed at the ship.

As they approached _The Vestige_, there came a sound of mechanical movement. Lelouch looked up in surprise to see the docking platform begin to lower itself. Somebody was walking down the platform. Then he heard a loud, robust female voice.

"Suzaku what took you so long! You've been gone for hours. Was it really C.C? What have you been up…"

The voice stopped mid-sentence in shock. Lelouch found himself looking up at a red-haired girl, whose eyes met his. Her hair fell to her waist now. Her blue eyes shimmered with tears. She began to shiver. Was it fear? Was it joy? Kallen Stadtfeld stood before them, rooted to the spot. Her mouth opened to speak.

"Lelouch?"

* * *

**A clash of feelings! The man she loves… Back from the dead! How will Kallen respond to Lelouch's return?**

**I'll be updating this FanFic a bit slowly because my exams are around the corner. Look forward to the next chapter though. The rebellion begins!**

**Please review this FanFic! Arigato!**


	3. The Reunion

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Code Geass nor any concepts related to Code Geass. All rights, permissions, and characters are reserved and owned by Bandai.**

**So many things to be said. So little time. Kallen's emotions run rampant. How will Lelouch respond to this awkward reunion? As time passes, more is revealed. Dark times lie ahead.**

**My take on what happens several years after the end of Code Geass, with the introduction of some new characters I've come up with myself. So it begins…**

* * *

**Code Geass, Lelouch of the Resurrection: The Reunion**

"Lelouch?"

Kallen Stadtfeld felt as if a bolt of lightning from the heavens had struck her. She had paused mid-step, mouth agape. Whatever she was berating Suzaku about had flown clean from her mind. It was just not possible. Not possible.

"How can it be?" Kallen thought to herself.

Lelouch stood at the foot of the docking platform, eyes wide in shock. He looked as if he wanted to say something but could not find the words. Suzaku looked sheepishly in another direction, realizing that he had forgotten some minor details while conversing with Lelouch. His eyes darted to and fro between Kallen and Lelouch, a small smile forming upon his face.

"Oh boy. This won't go too well…" Suzaku grimaced to himself, slightly amused.

C.C stood to Lelouch's left, expressionless. Her eyes were fixed on Kallen, who had not so much as moved from her spot. There was not a sound to be heard all round. It was as if a stunning revelation had dawned upon them all. She turned to Lelouch and upon realizing that he was not about to say anything soon, decided to break the silence.

"Kallen. Long time no see." came the monotonous voice.

More awkward silence. C.C sighed. She turned to Suzaku.

"Come on. Let the two lovebirds…" she began, only to be immediately interrupted by Kallen and Lelouch simultaneously.

"What?!" they both exclaimed. The tension broke and Suzaku seized the opportunity to say something.

"Kallen! Hi. Listen, it's a long story. Maybe we should all go inside before I fill you in?" he suggested. It was getting a little chilly outside anyway. He awaited a reply.

Moments later, Lelouch recovered from his shock at being classified a lovebird. He nodded in agreement.

"Yes, Suzaku's right. It _is_ a long story and I'm sure that you too have some long stories to share with me. Isn't that right…? Kallen." Lelouch replied, acknowledging Kallen's presence.

"Er… What? Long stories? What stories? I… You… Hold on! This is… What's going on?! Why is Lelouch…? Can someone tell me what the heck is going on?" Kallen stuttered. She was still reeling from the shock of Lelouch's sudden resurrection. She took a few more steps down the platform and stood face to face with Lelouch.

"Is it really you? You're not a… a…" she asked Lelouch apprehensively. Her eyes shined with emotion. She didn't believe in ghosts but she was willing to make an exception just once.

"Yes. It's me. In the flesh." Lelouch replied, a small smile upon his face.

There was a flurry of movement and a flash of red hair. Lelouch got the wind knocked out of him as Kallen half-hugged, half-tackled him and they both fell to the ground. She was still as strong as ever.

"Kallen?! What are you doing? Get off me! This is rather…" he paused abruptly when he heard soft sobs coming from her. Revelation came upon him and he understood. Lelouch wrapped an arm comfortingly around her, and closed his eyes.

"It's really me. Sorry for the sudden intrusion." he whispered into her ear. The memories of five years ago drifted back into his consciousness. This was Kallen Stadtfeld, Ace of the Black Knights. A woman whom he had betrayed more than once, despite her fierce loyalty towards him. A woman with a fighting spirit greater than any man. Yet, here she was, her fiery demeanor entirely shed as she let her tears go. More than anything perhaps, she loved him.

Lelouch was not one for romance. He had taken so many lives before that it was a wonder he could still hope to love. He lay there as Kallen's sobbing softly ebbed away and once again silence pervaded the scene. After a while, she proceeded to get off Lelouch, wiping the remaining tears from her eyes. It was getting a little too awkward. She stood there quietly for a few moments before turning to all of them and flashing a brilliant smile.

"Suzaku. You've got a lot of explaining to do." she said. Suzaku forced a smile.

"Yeah. Sorry about that Kallen. I was intending to surprise you but…" he turned his gaze towards Lelouch who was looking at him accusingly. He decided that it was best not to say anything more.

"Let's go in already." came C.C's voice, a trace of annoyance in it.

Kallen turned around, her long hair swishing behind her. She began to walk up the docking platform and beckoned for them to follow her.

"Follow me you three. Oh, and Lelouch? I think there's someone else who would be rather shocked to meet you. You'd better make a more discreet entrance this time." Kallen said with concern in her voice.

"Who is it?" came his short reply. He was still visibly shaken from Kallen's rough tackle.

Kallen turned around to look at him, her eyes refusing to meet his.

"Did you hit your head back there? Who else but Nunnally?" she replied.

Lelouch gasped out loud. He had stopped right in his tracks and Suzaku bumped into him.

"Ow. Lelouch don't just stop like that!" Suzaku complained.

Lelouch appeared to be in deep concentration. Suzaku then realised he had forgotten another minor detail. Perhaps a rather large detail.

"Lelouch? Erm… Yes. Nunnally is with us. It's been quite rough on her so she's a little under the weather at the moment." he apologized.

Lelouch appeared to recover from his shock and held his head high, a jubilant smile etched upon his visage.

"Take me to her, Kallen." he ordered.

Kallen smiled and shook her head. He had not changed a single bit. Always ordering people around.

"Come on then."

The four of them walked silently up the docking ramp and into the holding bay. Their footsteps echoed off the walls as they made contact with the hard metal flooring. Lelouch looked around and observed that there were only four Knightmare Frames, standing silently like guardian sentinels. He smiled as he recognized the _Lancelot_, although several distinct changes had been visibly made. He also noticed the _Guren_, which had undergone modifications as well. He had never seen the last two Knightmare Frames before and wondered if they were new models.

A dimly lit passageway led from the holding bay to the living quarters. They walked on for some time before being confronted with a large metal door. After Kallen keyed a password into the digital display on the wall, the door slid open to let them through. Lelouch was greeted with a familiar sight. The interior design was similar to that of The Black Knight's submarine and was painted in dark yet strangely warm colours. Suddenly, a loud crash resounded from somewhere to their left. Lelouch turned his head to locate the source of the sound. His eyes widened as he saw Sayoko, his old servant, standing there as if she had seen a ghost. It was understandable. Her expression was a mixture of fear and surprise.

"Master Lelouch..?" came the shaking voice. She had dropped a plate of what appeared to be porridge on the floor. Broken shards littered the ground, inter-mingled with a mess of porridge.

"Sayoko." Lelouch said softly. Sayoko seemed to take his return a lot better than Kallen however, as she immediately spotted C.C and things started to fall into place. She did not understand the specifics but knew that something supernatural had to have been involved. She smiled and bowed.

"Welcome back Master Lelouch. I was about to deliver some food to Nunnally. Did you know that she's here with us?" she questioned.

"Yes I do Sayoko. In fact, I'm about to go see her now. It seems as if you'll need to… deliver the food later on." Lelouch mused. So there was yet another loyal servant by his side, perhaps awaiting his return like everyone else. He felt a bit melancholic but decided against it. Now was not the time for that.

He dismissed her and they went on their way to Nunnally's chambers. After some time, they arrived at yet another metal door, albeit a lot smaller than the last one.

"Well, here we are." Kallen said. Lelouch felt a bit apprehensive. How would Nunnally take his return? Lelouch felt a hand upon his shoulder. He turned to see Suzaku smiling at him comfortingly.

"Hey I know it's kinda my fault. I didn't exactly fill you in on who's with us right now. They're a few others whom you will recognize but they're around the place at the moment. I guess they're going to be shocked to see you alive and kicking too. However, what matters now is you clear things up with Nunnally. Since your death she's never been quite the same." Suzaku stated blankly. He then proceeded to key a password into the digital display and the door slid open. A soft and rather weak voice came from inside the room.

"Suzaku-kun? You're back? Is C.C-san with you? You went to meet her right?"

Lelouch froze again. He could not comprehend what he was feeling. Was it fear? Shame? He had initiated Zero Requiem without so much as telling her a thing and had sacrificed himself to create a world that would always make her smile. Yet he had not considered her feelings. How did she feel, all these years? Would she forgive him? Was his sacrifice in vain? Thoughts ran through his head viciously, stabbing at his conscience.

"Hi Nunnally. Yes C.C is right here with me. However I think there's someone else you should meet." Suzaku said. He then proceeded to drag Lelouch and push him inside the room.

"Hold on Suzaku! I'm not ready! This is too sudden!" Lelouch protested. It was too late. Suzaku had made an apologetic gesture to him, flashed a smile and the door slid close. Lelouch could feel his heart thumping in his chest. He could not meet her gaze.

"Onii-san..?" came the familiar voice. The voice of his beloved sister. The one for whom he had made all his sacrifices. The one for whom he had committed all his sins. He did not dare to look up. He could not bear to see her look of fear, or perhaps of anger. Where did the confidence he always had go to?

"Onii-san..? Is that… Really you..?" came Nunnally's voice again. It was now or never. Lelouch raised his head to look upon his sister. His eyes fell upon a stranger sitting propped up on a clean, white bed.

"Nunnally?!" came his shocked reply. Did his eyes deceive him? Upon closer inspection, he realised that it truly was his sister. Yet, she looked entirely different. Her once long and curly brown hair was now short and straight and her fringe covered part of the left side of her face. She had definitely grown taller. After all, it had been five years. What fooled him the most however, was the look of maturity upon her face. She must have been through a lot. Was it the war..?

A long silence fell between them. Lelouch fought hard to find words with which to say to her. He had to explain why he was alive. Explain the reasons for Zero Requiem. Yet, it ultimately dawned upon him. He knew what had to be said first.

"Nunnally. I'm… Sorry."

He looked at his sister and their eyes truly met for the first time in a long time. He saw tears well up and they began to flow. He approached her and sat on the edge of the bed. He tried to fight back his own tears. Lelouch Lamperouge. The man who had the blood of thousands upon his hands. The man who had once been the greatest enemy of the world. The man who now let a single tear flow down his cheek and into his lap.

"There's so much I need to tell you."

"I've got time, Onii-san."

At that very moment, Lelouch made a resolution. This time, he would make the world stay at peace and nothing would get in his way. He would do it for her. He really hated to see her cry.

* * *

A lone figure sat upon a throne hewn from gray stone, his face obscured by shadow. It was a magnificent throne but what made it stand out was the bird-shaped symbol etched onto it. A symbol of absolute power. The symbol of Geass.

The figure was a man. He was woefully thin and had long messy black hair. He wore a dark tunic with elaborate designs sewn onto it in silver. He wore a black cloak that splayed out around him and a malevolent aura emanated from his being. He had his elbow placed on the arm rest and his head rested upon his knuckles in apparent deep thought. He wore no crown but his very presence could bring thousands to their knees. He was, after all, The Demon Emperor.

The ceiling of the vast hall in which he sat was supported by several elaborate carved pillars that reached so high that the ceiling could not be seen as it was concealed in darkness. A single torch hung from every pillar and shed some light upon the vast symbol of Geass that was painted upon the marble floor. His throne remained in darkness, and was the single area in the hall that was unlit.

The entrance to the hall was marked by two enormous doors that appeared to have been hewn from the same gray stone from which the throne was made. They were open wide, revealing a long passageway that led into semi-darkness, marked by torches at regular intervals.

The sound of footsteps began to echo in the passageway. After some time, a woman slowly became visible as she walked through the passageway and into the throne room. She was tall and slim and wore a long flowing black gown that swept the floor as she walked. The gown was plain black with no elaborate designs or patterns upon it. She had long black hair that fell to her waist in a cascade. Her face was expressionless and her eyes were eerie silver. Her skin was also dreadfully white. Yet, perhaps most frightening of all was that she had a stunning beauty. A dark and cold beauty.

She walked all the way to The Demon Emperor's side and proceeded to curl herself around his feet almost seductively. She then addressed him.

"You've still got time to sleep?" she questioned him, a playful tone in her voice. Clearly, she was a woman who placed herself on a high pedestal. Fear was one emotion that was not upon her face. In fact she almost looked arrogant; superior in her manner of speech. She was not afraid of The Demon Emperor.

The man slowly opened his eyes. They pierced the darkness fiercely with crimson.

"What is it?" he replied lazily. His voice was deep and surprisingly young. His gaze turned to the woman at his feet. She proceeded to rest her head upon his lap.

"Oh nothing. I'm just… So bored you know. I thought you would like to know that a little hitch may have come up in your plans." she teased.

The man yawned softly. He began to stroke her hair.

"Tell me about it."

It was not an order but his tone was dominating. The woman looked up at his hidden face and smiled.

"It seems that Lelouch vi Britannia has somehow been… Brought back to life." she went on.

The man made no response to the news. He continued to stroke her hair softly.

"I believe that it may be the work of C.C. That witch is always up to no good isn't she?" she said tiresomely. The man laughed softly.

"You worry too much. Let Lelouch vi Britannia or that witch C.C do whatever they please. It does not bother me." He stated matter-of-factly.

"True. Nobody can stand against you. Not even the man who once brought the world together." the woman replied.

The man laughed aloud. It was a cruel, high-pitched laughter that echoed off the walls of the hall. Silence fell again. The only sound that could be heard was the crackling of the fire in the torch brackets.

"I would not be where I am if not for you, A.A." he said. He stopped stroking her hair and beckoned for her to come closer. The woman, A.A, complied with him and proceeded to sit on his lap and wrap her arms around his neck. She placed a soft kiss on his cheek and whispered in his ear.

"Of course. I am, after all, the biggest witch of them all… My dear Serafius…"

* * *

**Lelouch reunited with his beloved sister. The dawning of darkness. Yet, there is still so much that has been left unsaid. Who is A.A? **

**I'll be updating this FanFic a bit slowly because my exams are currently on-going. Look forward to the next chapter though. The rebellion begins!**

**Please review this FanFic! Arigato!**


	4. The Revelations

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Code Geass nor any concepts related to Code Geass. All rights, permissions, and characters are reserved and owned by Bandai.**

**When great evil arises, only one man can resolve everything. His name is Lelouch Lamperouge. However, many questions have to be answered before he can once again take on the name of Zero.**

**My take on what happens several years after the end of Code Geass, with the introduction of some new characters I've come up with myself. So it begins…**

* * *

**Code Geass, Lelouch of the Resurrection: The Revelations**

Suzaku, Kallen and C.C sat around a long table while Sayoko served them tea. It had begun to pour outside once again and the sound of raindrops lashing against the metal framework of _The Vestige_ could be heard.

They were in a room that was usually set aside for strategic planning. A large monitor screen flanked the entire length of wall on one side of the room and there was a chess board with an unfinished game lying at one end of the long table. The room was illuminated dimly by several small lights along its walls that bathed it in a soft orange glow.

Suzaku was sitting, crossed-armed, appearing to be in deep thought. Kallen had her hands on her lap and looked at a loss for words. C.C was looking absent-mindedly at the ceiling while tapping the table with her fingers. Sayoko left the room when her job was finished. An awkward silence seemed to hang between the three of them. Suzaku then spoke.

"Alright. It seems that all three of us have things that we want to know. Kallen, I can tell you how Lelouch was brought back to life. C.C, I'll have you inform me on the limitations of the Geass which you've bestowed upon me. Finally, Kallen, I think it's best for you to brief C.C on everything that's been going on with The Black Knights since five years back."

Kallen had looked up in surprise when she had heard Suzaku mention that he now had Geass. C.C appeared to have no interest in any affairs but had stopped tapping the table impatiently. Suzaku, seeing that he had captured the attention of the two of them, continued. He turned to Kallen.

"Kallen. It is true that C.C has bestowed upon me the power of Geass. It is with this Geass that Lelouch was brought back to life. Once again this cursed power never ceases to amaze."

Kallen registered whatever she was hearing and replied.

"Geass again… It was because of Geass that everything began wasn't it? Sure takes me back. Yet, now that you mention it, I guess it should have been pretty obvious to me. With C.C back and all." a small smile had formed upon her face, though it carried a mixture of nostalgia and joy.

"Yes. I guess everything did begin because of Geass. However, I know that even Geass has its limitations. Isn't that right C.C?" Suzaku questioned the ambivalent girl. C.C thought for a bit before answering.

"Of course it does. No power is absolute."

Suzaku took a sip of tea before firing more questions at her.

"So… Could you divulge the secrets to this new power you've given me?" he said, smiling.

C.C gave him a look of annoyance. Kallen could not hide the look of deep interest upon her face now.

"If it was before I met Lelouch, I would not have been able to tell you. After all, he was the first recipient of Geass who went as far as to test out what it could or could not accomplish. If the same limitations apply to your Geass as they have for his, then Lelouch can only be brought back to life once." C.C finished grimly.

Suzaku shrugged.

"I thought as much." he said, looking a bit disappointed. Kallen decided to interject for a moment.

"I'm quite new to the whole Geass thing as of yet but it seems to me that there are many other kinds of Geass? I thought that Geass was but a power to make people do your bidding."

C.C sighed and decided to address the issue.

"No Kallen. The power of Geass that one receives is based upon the recipient's deepest inner desires. Lelouch probably attained the power to make people do his bidding because of his great desire to create a world where he would be in control. As for Suzaku, I guess it is needless to say that you've probably subconsciously wished to undo many deaths..?"

Suzaku seemed to stiffen for a short moment. C.C smirked. Kallen looked as if she was wondering what kind of power she would receive if she attained Geass.

"Suzaku, I did not choose to contact you just because it was convenient. I once saw into your mind. I know the desires of your heart. I knew that if there was anyone who could gain the power to resurrect the dead with Geass, it could only be you. Your attachment to the dead is rather… Strong." C.C stated matter-of-factly. Suzaku gave her a weak smile. How did she always seem to know so much? Was it Lelouch's influence?

The rain seemed to increase in magnitude outside. Kallen looked like she wanted to say something but decided against it. Suzaku recovered from his mild flashback and finished his tea before pouring himself another cup. C.C began tapping the table again.

"So, I guess you want to know what has been happening since five years ago C.C?" Kallen asked meekly.

"Not really. Things come and go. Go on if you must." came the reply.

Kallen chuckled nervously. C.C was not easy to please as always.

"Well, where should I begin? Erm… I guess things were fine for the first two years or so after Lelouch's death. I for one already knew that Suzaku was posing as Zero and things were going just as Lelouch had planned. The Black Knights were playing a crucial role as peacekeepers although nothing major ever occurred. We were usually spending the days just catching minor criminals or resolving small conflicts. I remember wishing for the days where I could engage in combat with _Guren_ again…" Kallen's voice drifted off. She was also remembering how much she wanted to take those words back. She continued.

"Funny thing is, I remember just a day after making that wish that it happened. The simultaneous bombardment of several cities with FLEIA warheads…"

Suzaku looked grim. It was a nightmare. He remembered the chaos that ensued. Only the Aerial Fortress _Damocles_ was capable of such massive destruction, yet it had already been demolished. There was no need for such a thing in times of peace. Who could have done such a thing? The answer came sooner than expected though.

"It descended from the skies, like some God of calamity. A massive… Well I remember it was so huge that I could only classify it as a country. It so happened too that I was out in the streets at that time. Whatever it was, I knew that the days of peace were over." Kallen said sadly.

C.C vaguely remembered something like that three years ago. Was that perhaps the reason darkness had suddenly engulfed the land? She too knew that something terrible had happened.

"Then a single Knightmare seemed to materialize out of thin air. I had never seen a Knightmare do anything like that. It appeared in the middle of the street and people just started screaming and running around. It was pretty awful. The cockpit then opened up and a man came out. I remembered shuddering when I saw his face. Pure evil were the only words I could use to describe it. Sure, Lelouch had the maniac kind of look sometimes but you could tell that at least Lelouch wasn't all bad. As for this guy… My feet were telling me to flee. Yet, I told myself that I had to stay. He must have had intentions. I kinda knew that he was responsible for everything." Kallen continued. Suzaku clenched his fist tightly.

"The man spoke, his voice magnified like Zero's. He introduced himself as the new Demon Emperor of the world and that he was here to claim everything for himself. He told the people not to fear. That the only ones that needed to fear him were those who went against him. Then it happened. The Black Knights appeared. Three of our Knightmares came to resolve the situation. Yet, something told me that we just could not beat him. It was at that moment that I ran. I did not know why but I ran. I had to get to _Guren_. I had not used _Guren_ in a long time because there was never a need to. Yet, if there was any time to use it, it was that time. Part of me wanted to test out the new _Guren_'s capabilities too, for Rakshata had kindly made vast modifications to it ever since it got rebuilt from being destroyed in my fight with Suzaku." she finished, and cast a look at Suzaku who shrugged. C.C just patiently took in everything that was being said.

"So it was in no time at all that I was in _Guren_. I remember feeling really nostalgic being back in the cockpit. Suzaku then showed up and told me he had heard about everything too. He went into _Lancelot_ and the two of us went to engage the enemy. Everything just happened so fast and I was kinda dazed at how things were progressing so quickly." Kallen explained.

Suzaku decided to interrupt to explain how things had happened from his point of view.

"It's as Kallen said, I immediately went back to The Black Knight's headquarters upon hearing about the appearance of the Knightmare and The Demon Emperor. I didn't see it face to face like Kallen did but I knew it meant business. _Lancelot_ too had been rebuilt and modified like the _Guren_. I had a gut feeling Kallen would be dying to go out in _Guren_ to face this new enemy and part of me wanted to test the capabilities of _Lancelot Seraphim_. I was confident that the two of us working together could defeat him. However…" his voice trailed off.

"It was a disaster." Kallen completed his sentence for him. "We were both defeated in a manner of minutes. At first I blamed it on my lack of practice when I could not land a single hit. Then as time passed, I realised that I had not lost my touch a single bit. The opponent was just toying with us! The Demon Emperor then laughed maniacally and told us that play-time was over. I thought he was just taunting us when suddenly his Knightmare just vanished. Before I knew it, _Guren_ suffered a massive hit and I kinda blacked out. I did not know what happened afterwards but apparently the same happened to Suzaku. For some reason though, we were spared. When I woke up, I was back in headquarters quite badly injured. Suzaku got that scar on his cheek from the fight along with many broken bones and stuff. Turns out that the rest of the Black Knights had appeared and somehow rescued us. The Demon Emperor said something about us regretting going against him and left. At that time I think I felt both relieved from being alive and at the same time… Disappointed. I could not believe I was so easily beaten!"

Kallen looked outraged and Suzaku too had clenched his fist so tightly his knuckles had turned white. C.C did not look sympathetic, although she appeared to be trying to remember something. Something about this situation was… familiar. Kallen decided to cut the long story short.

"Well, you can guess what happened next. Over the next few days, The Black Knights were swarmed with The Demon Emperor's army. We had superior Knightmares and everything but we were obliterated by sheer numbers. We did not have a strategy and it was just days of non-stop combat. I remembered having to fight through my injuries along with Suzaku. We lost so many men… Suzaku ultimately decided that continuing was pointless. He then made a plan to flee on _The Vestige_. We, as well as whatever was remaining of The Black Knights, fled. It was our utter defeat. So, here we are. Years from that moment, fleeing from country to country, witnessing the carnage that takes place everywhere, unable to do a thing. Frankly… I'm not sure that even Lelouch…" she was interrupted by Suzaku.

"If there's anyone that can overcome the odds, it's him. We have no choice but to rest our hopes upon him. Sure, he once hid secrets from us, but that's in the past. Now we're all allies. The truth about Geass is out and in the face of greater evil than any other we have ever faced… Do we have a choice Kallen?" Suzaku exclaimed.

"I guess not Suzaku…" came Kallen's reply. C.C had remained silent throughout, face screwed up in concentration. She was clearly trying to recall something vital. What was it? What was it that she felt was missing in this entire scenario? What was… It hit her. She just needed clarification.

"Kallen."

Kallen was so surprised at hearing C.C call her name that she literally jumped. Suzaku chuckled and Kallen glared at him.

"Yes C.C?"

"I don't know if you've ever seen a very… Distinguished woman around The Demon Emperor?" C.C asked.

"What do you mean C.C?" replied Kallen in confusion.

"I mean… When you had encountered The Demon Emperor in his Knightmare… Did you see a woman?"

Kallen thought to herself for a moment.

"A woman? A… Hold on. Perhaps…? How did C.C know when she wasn't even there? If C.C had not mentioned it she would not have remembered that tiny detail."

"Well?" came C.C's impatient voice.

Kallen got startled out of her thoughts.

"Well… If I'm not wrong… There was. I could not see clearly but I think she was in the cockpit with him. If I remember correctly… She had black hair. That's all I could see. C.C is there something… wrong..?" Kallen asked worriedly. C.C's face had turned paler than she usually was. Was that… Fear across her face?

C.C was visibly shaken. She took her cup of tea with a shivering hand and drained it. She did not appear to calm down.

"What happened C.C?" Suzaku asked worriedly. He sensed danger. It was rare, if ever, that C.C acted like this. Something was very wrong.

C.C then spoke, shuddering as she did so.

"She's back. The Goddess of Calamity. The one who always returns to bring the world back to chaos. She's the one who always starts it all. The original manifestation of Geass… A.A."

Suzaku, Kallen and C.C sat without speaking a word. If the enemy too had Geass, things had just become a lot more complicated. Rain continued to pour outside and thunder rumbled. The land was once again plunged into the darkness it was so familiar with.

* * *

Lelouch tucked Nunnally into bed. They had a good talk about the past and Lelouch felt like a great weight had been lifted off his chest. Nunnally had refused to tell him anything about the wars that had been going on though but it was understandable. She had been traumatized by the killings. He sighed. Where was the world full of kindness he had worked to build for her? Lelouch stroked his sister's hair and got up to leave. He would have to ask Suzaku to fill him in on the more gruesome details.

"Such a sweet little girl isn't she?" came a woman's voice.

Lelouch turned around abruptly, and came face to face with a woman with long flowing black hair. He was about to yell out loud in surprise when he realised it would startle Nunnally.

"Who are you and how did you get in?" he whispered.

"Lelouch Lamperouge… Let's talk. I'm sure C.C would not mind am I right..?"

"Who are you?" Lelouch repeated, a little louder.

"My, my. Where are my manners? Such a bossy young man you are. If you must know then. My name is A.A. Pleasure to meet your acquaintance."

* * *

**A dangerous meeting! A.A confronts Lelouch to talk. Lelouch does not know of the danger that stands before him. What will she reveal in their conversation?**

**My exams are over for now. It'll be a month before my next exams take place. I'll try updating a bit more quickly in the meantime. Look forward to the next chapter. The rebellion begins!**

**Please review this FanFic! Arigato!**

**(P.S. I would like to make a small request. This FanFic is a really humongous project that I'm embarking upon. It may take up to two years before it's complete. As you can see I'm really developing a serious story here. Hence, I need as much support as I can get. Please spread this story to any of your friends whom you think would appreciate a good FanFic and most of all, review. It would give me the morale boost I need to continue writing! Thank you.)**


	5. The Reprisal

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Code Geass nor any concepts related to Code Geass. All rights, permissions, and characters are reserved and owned by Bandai.**

**The original witch A.A confronts Lelouch. What are her intentions? What could it be about her that makes even C.C shiver in fear?**

**My take on what happens several years after the end of Code Geass, with the introduction of some new characters I've come up with myself. So it begins…**

* * *

**Code Geass, Lelouch of the Resurrection: The Reprisal**

Lelouch and A.A stood in Nunnally's room barely a foot apart. Lelouch glared at the unwelcome visitor, his arms spread defensively and instinctively to shield Nunnally from whatever A.A was preparing to throw at them. Only those who knew the password could enter the room so how was it that she managed to get inside? Lelouch ruled out the possibility that she was a new recruit to The Black Knights. Her manner of speech, her name, the way she was dressed and most of all, the demonic aura she emitted, gave her away.

"What a nice Geass you have." A.A commented, smiling coldly as she did so. Lelouch continued to stare her down, simultaneously thinking of a way to deal with her. Even if he was a man, he probably could not beat her in a strength contest. She had just revealed that she knew about Geass too. She was no ordinary woman that was for sure. Lelouch decided that the best thing he could do was try to use Geass on her, although he knew that it would not work. It would at least buy him some time and perhaps even force her to divulge more information about herself. This woman was probably a witch like C.C.

"I order you to reveal to me everything about yourself!" Lelouch commanded. Nothing happened, but Lelouch thought as much. She was a witch after all. A.A sighed and shook her head.

"Must you treat me with such aggression? I am a lady you know? Well, you do remind me of Serafius." she stated plainly. There was a look of unmistakable contempt upon her face, masked by her sinister smile. Lelouch smirked. Were all witches such difficult woman?

"Are you related to C.C in any way? Geass doesn't work on you and I cannot even fathom how you managed to enter the room." Lelouch said, never taking his eyes off her.

"Very sharp, Lelouch Lamperouge. I would expect nothing less from the man who once brought the world together. Such wonderful peace the world managed to attain too! Except… I hate peace. Serafius doesn't particular like peace either." she replied. Her smile had vanished from her face, replaced by a look of pure loathing. Clearly Zero Requiem had not been well received by everyone. Lelouch waited for her to continue speaking. Who was this Serafius she kept mentioning anyway?

"C.C has probably heard of me, but we've never met. Amongst us immortal beings, you could say that I've been around the longest. However, I'm not really someone you've never heard of. It's just that… History has written about me in so many different forms. However, one thing's for sure. Whenever I show up, the world plunges into lovely chaos." she explained. She took her eyes off Lelouch and began to pace the room, her hands behind her back. Lelouch followed her movements carefully.

"So why have you come? To kill me? Clearly I have provoked you in some way or another. However I ask that you spare Nunnally. She has nothing to do with this." Lelouch pretended to plea. He needed more answers.

"You're a bad actor, Lelouch Lamperouge… Besides, what makes you think I'd kill you over something so trivial? Even if I wanted to kill you, why would I spare your dear little sister? You clearly don't understand your position in this world too well do you? You're no longer the great saviour Zero. You're dead and forgotten. What could you hope to attain by retaliating against Serafius and myself? Do you know the odds that are against you? You've been dead for five years. You obviously know nothing of your opponent's strength." she said maliciously. So Serafius was The Demon Emperor. His suspicions were confirmed. This woman was a perpetrator in plunging the world into chaos once again. Lelouch lowered his arms and clenched his fists. There was no point in defending Nunnally. It would only tempt the witch.

A.A stopped to examine a picture hanging on the wall. Lelouch only just noticed it but it was a picture of himself, Nunnally, as well as all of his friends from Ashford Academy. It had been taken so many years ago. Lelouch felt a bit nostalgic but quickly dismissed the emotion. A.A smirked and turned around to face Lelouch.

"You've already lost so many of your friends. You've sacrificed them for the greater good. Is it worth it? Do you not understand that rebelling as you have once done will only result in more meaningless sacrifices on your part? Are you willing to lose more close friends? Are you willing to lose her?" A.A remarked, her eyes on Nunnally. Lelouch gritted his teeth.

"If you lay a finger on Nunnally I swear that…" Lelouch started, only to be interrupted by A.A's maniacal laughter.

"Foolish boy! What can you do? You're defenseless yourself and you hope to protect her? Oh dear… I wasn't expecting such a laugh from speaking with you. Lelouch Lamperouge, you're interesting. I understand why Serafius decided to let you do as you please. You're no threat whatsoever." she decided. Lelouch turned to glance at Nunnally. He would protect her no matter what. A.A was still snickering and sliding a hand through her long black hair.

Silence fell between them. A.A continued observing Lelouch with interest and Lelouch had abandoned any plans he had thought up. She was right. The odds were against him. However…

"How would you like to make a wager?" Lelouch suggested, a confident smile upon his face.

A.A appeared caught off guard. Her smile fell slightly.

"A wager? Interesting. Let's hear your proposition." she replied cautiously.

"Since you view me as no threat, why not we have a battle of wits? You already know of our location with your all-encompassing knowledge. I'm sure you know of our battle strength as well as the number of people on our side. Perhaps you know everything about The Black Knights as we are now. So, I challenge you to prevent us from escaping to another location when we decide to move from here. Send as many troops as you desire. We lose if you manage to keep us here for more than an hour. If we manage to escape within that time limit, you let us go and at the same time… Promise to never let Nunnally come to harm. You have nothing to lose from this wager." Lelouch challenged.

It was a risk that he was willing to take. Either way, there were all doomed in the long run from just fleeing. The opponent knew exactly where they went every time they moved. By making this wager he would not only be able to assess his opponent's strength but at the same time if they did manage to escape he could gather more allies and form a more formidable rebellion.

A.A appeared to consider her options for a moment. She flashed a sly smile to Lelouch.

"I accept. Serafius will be pleased that such a challenge has been presented to him. However, if you lose… I will personally execute your sister in front of your eyes." she threatened. Her eyes seemed to flash red for a brief moment.

Lelouch shuddered. She was definitely inhuman. Never had he felt such a great presence of evil. He smiled to himself. It did not matter, he would win regardless of the odds. He always did.

A.A turned and waved a lazy hand to him. As she was about to leave, she said one last thing.

"If I were you, I'd get some contacts to hide your Geass. You don't want to order someone into doing something you'll regret would you..?"

She vanished into the darkness as suddenly as she had appeared. Lelouch stood rooted to the spot. He could feel sweat begin to slide down his forehead. He had managed to get quite a lot of information out of her. However, he knew that the enemy was more well-informed by a large margin. She even seemed to know that he had once accidentally ordered the slaughter of countless innocent Japanese. His legs gave way and he settled himself on the bed. He cupped his face with his hand.

"I guess I should get those contacts." he decided.

* * *

Lelouch had left the room only when Sayoko came to deliver Nunnally's meal. Sayoko had sensed that something disturbed Lelouch but said nothing. She bowed as he went out. Lelouch decided that he would not mention his meeting with A.A to anyone except C.C. He decided to find C.C and clarify matters with her. Worst of all, he had just made a wager which he had, perhaps, little chance of winning. He wondered how Kallen would respond if she had heard of what he had done. There was no chance he would let her find out. He would not tell anyone except C.C.

"Ow, look where you're going!" shouted an angry voice, as Lelouch bumped into someone while in deep thought. The voice sounded familiar.

"Sorry. I was…" Lelouch stopped. He was getting used to seeing the dumbfounded expression on the faces of those who thought he was dead. Rakshata was looking at him with that very expression.

"Lelouch vi Britannia! Didn't you die?" she backed away from him, arms raised in defence. Lelouch sighed. Rakshata did not change in appearance at all. She was still wearing that long white coat she always did and carried that trademark tobacco pipe in her hand. Perhaps the only difference was that she looked a little worn out.

"Yes I did. But I got brought back from the dead." Lelouch answered with a straight face. He had other more important things to attend to. He was not going to waste time explaining everything to her. He needed those contacts! What if he accidentally ordered Rakshata to do something. He had not used Geass on her before if he recalled properly.

Rakshata stood there, dumbfounded for a moment. She shook her head and decided that she was hallucinating due to weariness, before walking off and muttering something about being overworked. Lelouch could not help but wonder if she was still developing any new technology to aid in the resistance. He continued his search for C.C.

Lelouch chanced upon the dining room and found only Suzaku there. Finally, someone who could show him around the place. He approached Suzaku, who looked up at him in surprise.

"Done talking to Nunnally so soon?" he asked.

"Yes. Anyway where is C.C?" Lelouch questioned. Suzaku shrugged.

"Probably in your room." he answered. Lelouch raised an eyebrow.

"My room?"

Lelouch could not remember anyone mentioning that he had a room here.

"Yes your room. We just prepared it. There has always been a room reserved for you though. Kallen said something about it being just in case you decided to return one day." Suzaku replied while giving Lelouch a suggestive look. Lelouch felt himself blush.

"Enough with you and your associations between Kallen and myself! There is none. Anyway could you bring me to my room then. I'm trying to avoid bumping into people and being on the receiving end of their startled expressions." Lelouch explained.

"Alright then." Suzaku replied, and beckoned for Lelouch to follow him. The duo walked along silently until they reached the final room at the end of a long stretch of corridor. Suzaku told Lelouch the password to the room and left for the dining room again. Lelouch sensed that there was something Suzaku was not telling him. He decided not to think too much. After all, he too was hiding something.

After he input the password, the door slid open and Lelouch walked into a room that was almost a replica of the one he had in the _Ikaruga_. Kallen had really outdone herself. He entered the room and looked around. C.C was nowhere to be seen, or so he thought, until he saw her ragged clothes lying on the bed.

"You should really knock before entering you know." came C.C's voice. Lelouch's attention turned towards a screen that had been set-up at one end of the room. The ruffling of clothes could be heard coming from behind it. Lelouch immediately turned around and decided to focus his attention on the blank slate of wall in front of him. Damn that witch.

"How do I look?" C.C asked Lelouch as she came out from behind the screen.

Lelouch took it that she was done changing and turned to face her. She had changed into the Britannian strait jacket she wore a majority of the time in the past. Lelouch wondered why she liked that particular piece of clothing so much, if it could be considered clothing at all.

"You look boring." came Lelouch's reply. He was not one for complimenting the ladies on their looks, unless the situation called for it. He especially refused to do it for C.C.

C.C took his answer with a smile and proceeded to slump herself on the bed. She took the rags that she wore before and eyed them with interest.

"Throw these away for me Lelouch." she requested, throwing them at his feet.

Lelouch looked at the rags, then at her. She had got to be kidding.

"I'm not your servant, witch." he retorted and proceeded to take sit down on the sofa in the middle of the room. He placed his legs on the small coffee table in front of him and folded his arms across his chest.

"What a way to repay the one who brought you back to life." C.C said, trying to sound as pitiable as possible. Lelouch did not buy it.

"I do not remember ever asking of you to do so. Besides, there's something more important that I wish to discuss with you." Lelouch stated, deciding that it would be best to tell C.C about his encounter in Nunnally's room as soon as possible.

"What is it?" came the nonchalant reply.

"Do you know who A.A is?" Lelouch asked her. C.C suddenly sat bolt upright in the bed. Lelouch found her behaviour slightly suspicious. She looked almost… Afraid.

"How did you know about her? Did Suzaku or Kallen tell you?" she asked worriedly. Lelouch raised an eyebrow. So they already had a meeting without him. They all knew who A.A was it seemed.

"No they didn't tell me. I just met her actually." Lelouch said grimly. The encounter was still fresh in his mind. C.C's eyes widened.

"You… Met her? How?" C.C asked with a shaky voice. Lelouch decided that A.A was perhaps a lot more terrifying than she had appeared. It wasn't easy to make C.C shudder like this.

"She… Appeared in front of me. In Nunnally's room. She left as suddenly as she came. Thanks to her I know all about the enemy we're facing now. I also know that the enemy probably has Geass too. Furthermore, I can see that she has quite the history even amongst you witches." Lelouch said plainly.

C.C was at a loss for words. She slumped back onto the bed and closed her eyes.

"So she was watching everything all this while. Nothing ever gets past her." C.C thought to herself. She had heard all too much about the nearly omniscient powers of A.A. She was legendary in her own right, having single-handedly caused numerous disasters throughout human history. C.C was startled out of her thoughts when she felt a hand grasp her own. She opened her eyes to see Lelouch sitting on the bed next to her. His eyes seemed to gaze into blank space.

"What are you doing?" she asked him, trying to sound as calm as possible but failing miserably. Lelouch turned to her and smiled.

"I think you should fill me in on the details of the meeting you were having while I was with Nunnally. Also, you need not be afraid. The enemy is no match for me. I've never failed even against impossible odds have I?" Lelouch assured her. C.C smirked.

"Since when have you been such a smooth talker? I'm entirely fine. You need not worry. As for the details of our meeting, we can talk about that later." C.C replied, getting off the bed and preparing to leave. Lelouch got up after her.

"Where are you off to this time?" he inquired.

"The pizza I asked Sayoko to make should be ready about now." she said before walking out of the room. Lelouch stood there, smiled and shook his head. He would never understand women. He then went into the bathroom to locate a pair of contact lenses.

* * *

**Lelouch makes a risky wager that might spell the end for The Black Knights if he doesn't play his cards right. However, he has great allies at his side. Will they lose it all or emerge victorious?**

**My exams are over for now. It'll be a month before my next exams take place. I'll try updating a bit more quickly in the meantime. Look forward to the next chapter. The rebellion begins!**

**Please review this FanFic! Arigato!**

**(P.S. I would like to make another small request. If you read this FanFic and spot any glaring plot errors or feel certain characters aren't acting how they should please, please inform me. As a story gets longer the probability of error only increases. It would be a huge help and i would be eternally grateful to your contribution in helping me make this FanFic a truly epic one! Thank you.)**


	6. The Repercussion

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Code Geass nor any concepts related to Code Geass. All rights, permissions, and characters are reserved and owned by Bandai.**

**The Black Knights must once again prepare for battle! With their leader back can they finally win against the overwhelming odds? Only time will tell…**

**My take on what happens several years after the end of Code Geass, with the introduction of some new characters I've come up with myself. So it begins…**

* * *

**Code Geass, Lelouch of the Resurrection: The Repercussion**

The smell of cheese filled the air. Lelouch tried to ignore the pungent aroma and decided instead to concentrate on tactics he could use to outwit whatever enemy A.A was preparing to send out against them. Nothing came to mind. He gritted his teeth. How was he supposed to concentrate like this?

Suzaku watched, amused, from across the table they were seated at. His eyes darted to and fro between the frustrated Lelouch and C.C, who was stretching out a long string of cheese from the slice of pizza in her hand. Sayoko was not helping Lelouch's concentration either, for she was vacuuming the floor. The stench of cheese as well as the incessant whirring of the vacuum was causing Lelouch to lose patience. Suzaku seemed to pick this up.

"Er… Lelouch? You wanna go somewhere most peaceful to talk?" he suggested. Lelouch immediately stood up, wanting nothing better than to leave the dining room.

"Yes. Please." Lelouch replied resolutely. Suzaku shrugged and got up, before leaving the room with Lelouch at his heels.

"Don't you think we should call for a meeting to tell everyone of your return?" Suzaku asked as the two of them walked along the same dark corridor that led to Lelouch's room. Lelouch paused to think for a bit.

"I guess, but only after you tell me more about whom or what we're facing. Nunnally refused to say anything about the enemy. Furthermore, I think you know about A.A too don't you? I'm guessing so does Kallen." Lelouch replied. Suzaku did not say a word and they continued walking. Lelouch once again showed a knack for knowing more than one would give him credit for.

Suzaku ultimately led Lelouch to the same strategic planning room wherein he, together with Kallen and C.C, had a meeting just a short while back. They entered and the lights came on automatically. Suzaku made a gesture for Lelouch to take a seat at the head of the long table. Lelouch sat down and Suzaku sat beside him.

"So how did you know about A.A? Did C.C tell you about her or something?" Suzaku inquired. Lelouch shook his head and replied.

"No. I met her."

Suzaku's eyes widened.

"You what?!" Suzaku exclaimed. From what C.C had told them, A.A was a cold-blooded murderer of sorts. So how was it that Lelouch had met her and survived? Wasn't he perhaps the greatest threat to the enemy? Lelouch observed Suzaku's reaction with mild interesting before continuing.

"Yes. She appeared swift and suddenly in Nunnally's room to confront me. Don't ask me how she did it. Naturally, I was only thinking about defending Nunnally. However, A.A merely came to warn me that we were fighting a losing battle and left. Apparently The Demon Emperor finds me no threat to him whatsoever. So I decided to make a wager to prove her wrong."

"A wager?! Lelouch you made a wager with the enemy already?!" came Suzaku's exasperated answer. How could Lelouch act so calm? Lelouch merely smiled.

"Relax Suzaku. I just need some time and most importantly, silence to think up a suitable strategy. The odds do not matter." came his confident reply. Suzaku still looked taken aback. Where did Lelouch get such confidence from? If what he had said was true did he not know the enemy's strength already? Why was Lelouch willing to go against them when they had not even acquired a suitable resistance force yet?

"Now it's your turn to give me as much information as I need to plan a suitable strategy. Tell me about their strength in numbers. Tell me about the topography of our terrain. Tell me about the Knightmares we have in possession. I need everything I can afford. Nothing must be left out!" Lelouch demanded. Suzaku sighed. Despite the odds, Lelouch could definitely come up with a suitable plan. He had to. All Suzaku could do was trust Lelouch. Trust that he knew what the best solution was.

"Alright Lelouch. I'll be sure to tell you everything." Suzaku replied, a grim expression upon his face. Lelouch smiled, satisfied with Suzaku's answer. Now all he needed was time and silence.

* * *

A blaring announcement sounded throughout the carrier ship and Suzaku's voice could he heard.

"Will everyone please gather at the meeting room? There's an important announcement Zero has to make."

Gino Weinberg was startled out of his nap.

"What..?" came his groggy voice, as he struggled to find the light switch for the lamp beside his bed. He finally managed to locate it and flicked the lamp on. How long had he been asleep? Was Suzaku back from his outing already? Gino quickly rushed to put on some clothes and a pair of boots before dashing out of his room. Was it the enemy? Would he finally get to go out in his Knightmare again? Thoughts raced through his mind as he walked quickly to the meeting. Suzaku hardly ever called for a meeting. In fact, he never did.

Along the way, Gino met Rakshata, who was openly cursing and swearing. He figured that she was probably working on something before being rudely interrupted by the announcement. She had a knack for treating her creations as if they were her children. She was really obsessed with her job sometimes.

"Hey Rakshata. Working on a new Knightmare or something?" he asked curiously. She gave him a glare and waved her tobacco pipe dangerously in the air.

"Yes I was, until Suzaku decided to call us all for some meeting I don't even want to be involved in! It was him after all who requested for me to begin building that prototype Knightmare frame I've been dying to try out for weeks! Who's the pilot by the way? Did we recruit a new member or something?" she bellowed in a single breath. Gino just shrugged. He was at as much of a loss as she was and made a mental note to never get on bad terms with this woman.

Upon arriving at the meeting room, Gino saw a rather large crowd of people waiting outside. Was he late? He saw Kallen wearing a nervous expression upon her face and wondered if something bad had happened. Was somebody hurt? Rakshata was just smoking her pipe now, impatiently tapping her foot. Why was everybody just waiting outside? Tohdoh and Chiba were leaning against the wall, arms folded and waiting for the door to open. What a matching couple they were. Sayoko seemed to be hiding something and stood silently, as if awaiting orders. She was mysterious as ever. Where was Nunnally anyway? Finally, Gino's eyes fell upon an unfamiliar face. Who was the green-haired girl? Was she perhaps the new recruit Rakshata was asking him about? Had this entire meeting been called for the sake of introducing her? He could not help but feel that something was strange about the whole situation.

The door to the meeting room slid open suddenly and Suzaku walked out. Gino noticed his grim expression. What was it that made Suzaku appear so restless?

"Zero's inside. Sorry for keeping you guys waiting." Suzaku apologized. Gino immediately knew something was up.

"Suzaku? Aren't you Zero? What do you mean Zero's inside?" Gino questioned. Suzaku flashed him a brief smile.

"You'll find out soon enough. All of you who don't already know." he replied, and beckoned for them to enter. Still feeling confused, Gino just decided to follow. So Suzaku was hiding something?

The chair at the head of the table was turned; it's back facing towards them all. Suzaku had taken a seat on its left and the green-haired girl took her seat at its right. Everyone else sat in no particular order. Gino decided to take his place next to Kallen. He didn't feel too comfortable around Rakshata anyway.

It was Rakshata who first broke the silence.

"So what did you call us for Suzaku? I'm busy you know. You'd better have a good explaination for sending me to start work on that new Knightmare and then calling me back!" she exclaimed, nearly gouging our Tohdoh's eye with her pipe as he had unfortunately sat next to her.

"Oh no, I did not call for this meeting. Zero did." Suzaku replied. With that, the chair at the head of the table swiveled around and in it, sat Zero. He was wearing his five-pronged helmet with the purple visor, the gold-trimmed black cape with the high collar and the long-sleeved purple outfit. Several gasps could be heard from all round the meeting table. Rakshata dropped her pipe. Tohdoh had actually partially got up from his chair. Gino was flabbergasted. He turned to look at Suzaku, then at Zero. Nothing was making any sense! Was he still asleep?

"Greetings everyone. I have returned." came Zero's loud booming voice. Gino was sure that he was dreaming now. There was no mistaking that voice. It could only belong to one person in the world. Before he could say anything, Tohdoh had shouted out loud.

"Lelouch?! Didn't you die?"

Gino noticed the look of disinterest on the green-haired girl's face. Kallen was smiling mischievously, as if she was proud that she managed to keep a secret. Suzaku looked satisfied. Sayoko had a look of admiration upon her face as she gazed at Zero. Everyone else was transfixed at the sight. Was this what Suzaku had left early in the morning for? To bring back Lelouch? How?

"This… This is a joke right Suzaku?" Gino asked. There was no way Lelouch vi Britannia was back. Everyone in this room had seen him killed in front of their eyes! Killed by Suzaku! Everyone knew of Lelouch's sacrifice to unite the world. Had he faked his own death?

"This is no joke Gino. It is really me." Zero announced, his voice resounding throughout the room. Zero removed his helmet and Lelouch's face was revealed. Tohdoh collapsed back onto his chair. Chiba beside him looked as if she had seen a ghost. Rakshata was visibly pinching herself. Clearly she too believed that it was but a dream. Gino could only look on in disbelief.

"Sorry if it's too much of a surprise everyone. If you must know how Lelouch came back…" Suzaku began, signaling for Kallen to complete his sentence for him.

"He was brought back using Geass." she finished.

Gino felt as if everything became crystal clear all at once. That supernatural power! Suzaku had told them all about it after Lelouch had died. He should have known. An awkward silence fell upon the group.

"Am I not welcome?" Lelouch questioned, a look of mock disappointment on his face.

There was uncomfortable fidgeting around the table and some of them exchanged looks. What did you say when somebody returned from the dead? Tohdoh was the first to speak up.

"Lelouch. If it is really you, have you come back to once again lead us against the odds? Are you going to take on the role of Zero or lead us as whom you really are? As Lelouch Lamperouge? Will you hide behind that mask as you did before?"

Lelouch merely sighed. He had clearly expected this. It was difficult to gain the trust of those he had once betrayed, even if it was ultimately for a much greater cause.

"I will lead all of you as Lelouch and nothing else. From today onwards, Zero is a name only the enemy has to fear!" Lelouch proclaimed. All eyes were fixed on him now.

"Then you have my allegiance." Tohdoh replied with a rare smile on his face, stretching out a hand to Lelouch across the table. Lelouch took it and they shook.

Rakshata picked up her pipe and filled it. She drew a long breath before speaking.

"So that's who that new Knightmare is for. You could have at least told me Suzaku. Now I'll have to modify it to fit Lelouch's preferences."

There was no hiding the sly grin across her face. Gino decided that he too had to say something.

"Lelouch. Erm… Welcome back? I once thought you were just some power hungry maniac but I take it all back. Once everyone found out your true intentions… Well…"

He stretched out a hand to Lelouch and they too shook hands. Lelouch looked upon everyone warmly and smiled. It didn't matter that old allies and enemies alike were seated together. Everyone now had one united purpose. The defeat of The Demon Emperor.

Everyone settled down and Lelouch clasped his hands together in front of him.

"Our enemy may be attacking us in a manner of days. Let's start our meeting shall we?" he suggested.

* * *

**The pieces are all in place. Lelouch calls for a meeting to discuss the strategy he has thought of. The Black Knights prepare for battle! There can only be one victor at the end of everything!**

**My exams are over for now. It'll be a month before my next exams take place. I'll try updating a bit more quickly in the meantime. Look forward to the next chapter. The rebellion begins!**

**Please review this FanFic! Arigato!**

**(P.S. I would like to apologize for how slowly everything is moving. It's necessary to lay down the foundations before anything can take place. However, all of you who love Code Geass for the fight scenes and Knightmares should look forward to the next chapter. Just a hint. Thank you.)**


	7. The Risk

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Code Geass nor any concepts related to Code Geass. All rights, permissions, and characters are reserved and owned by Bandai.**

**The decisive battle begins… A wager between Lelouch and A.A with everything on the line! The Black Knights face difficult odds and only one man can overcome them!**

**My take on what happens several years after the end of Code Geass, with the introduction of some new characters I've come up with myself. So it begins…**

**

* * *

****Code Geass, Lelouch of the Resurrection: The Risk**

"They're coming." came Suzaku's voice over the intercom. It had been just as Lelouch had predicted. The enemy had arrived in a week.

The mountain range where _The Vestige_ was concealed was swarmed with both aerial and ground type Knightmares in the thousands. It looked like A.A had really outdone herself.

"She's really gone and done it. That witch." Lelouch said to himself, smirking, a drop of sweat falling into his brow. He was in the command center of _The Vestige_ looking at a radar screen. The number of red dots upon it was so numerous it was overwhelming. He had just finished imputing all the commands he needed into the ship's system. Lelouch did not know if he was shaking from excitement or fear. It was probably both. If he screwed up it was all over. He was not about to do so.

"Your orders Lelouch?" Kallen's voice resounded from the intercom. Lelouch looked at the radar screen once again. The ground type units were not the problem. The problem lay with the aerial Knightmares. The Black Knights had a total of only five Knightmare Frames. It had been obvious from the start that a direct confrontation was pointless. The strategy that Lelouch had proposed was filled with risks as it could go either way. If not carried out properly and at the exact moment, the plan would surely backfire. Lelouch decided to wait. He pressed a red button on the command interface.

"Wait. Let the enemy approach closer. If we do not do it right we'll just be wasting our resources." he spoke into the intercom.

"Roger." came Kallen's reply. Lelouch waited. The red dots edged ever closer to the centre of the radar screen. Lelouch's eyes lighted up. Anytime now… Five… Four… Three… Two… One…

"Now!"

The sound of recurring explosions could be heard outside _The Vestige_. The room shook and the lights flickered. It had begun. Lelouch looked at his watch. According to his calculations, he had only five minutes to make his next move. He proceeded to dash out of the command center. His fitness had not improved at all ever since his resurrection. Nevertheless, Lelouch pushed himself to run faster than he had ever done before. Just this once he would make it in something involving athletics. He absolutely had to.

"Now!" came Lelouch's voice from over the intercom. This was the moment they had been preparing for all this while! Kallen licked her lips as she activated the radiation wave unit in the _Guren's_ right arm. There was a loud whirring and the _Guren's_ right palm glowed red. There was a great burst of power and recoil which caused the entire Knightmare to shudder. The radiation wave spread rapidly throughout the chain of explosives that had been planted all along the mountain chain in the previous week.

Kallen took this as her cue to escape before she too got caught in the explosion. She only had five seconds as Lelouch had calculated. Kallen flicked several switches in record time and pulled the ascension lever. The six separate energy wing panels on the _Guren's_ back lighted up and red particles poured out of them. There was a great flash of red light, revealing sixteen pristine crimson energy feathers. The _Guren_ flew up high with great speed right at the moment the rock upon which it had been standing ignited. Like a blood-red angel, the _Guren Tsukuyomi Mk-IV_ rose high above, only to be met by numerous aerial Knightmare units which had been painted the Empire's signature black.

"Bring it on!" Kallen shouted out loud before plunging into battle.

* * *

"Now!" came Lelouch's voice from over the intercom. Explosions occurred simultaneously at several strategic positions along the mountain top. Then came the landslide. There was a great rumble as gigantic rock fragments sailed down the mountain side, destroying all in their wake. It was at this point that Tohdoh wished he had a Knightmare which could fly. He sighed. He didn't particular like flying. Just because of his stubbornness in staying true to his customs and beliefs he had denied Rakshata the freedom of installing the energy wing system onto his Knightmare, the _Shin Zangetsu_.

"Concentrate Tohdoh." came Chiba's voice. He looked at his wife, who was in the seat right in front of him. The _Shin Zangetsu_ had been a wedding gift of sorts from Rakshata to the both of them. It could only be effectively operated by two people working in perfect synchronization. When done right, the _Shin Zangetsu_ was a formidable force. He smiled slightly. He always depended on Chiba to lead him back on track whenever he was too serious or when he lacked concentration. Perhaps this was the reason why Rakshata had decided it was better for the both of them to pilot a single Knightmare?

"Yes. We should concentrate on the task at hand." he answered. Their job was to take care of any ground units that survived the onslaught of the rock slide under Lelouch's orders. However, after he had seen the magnitude of destruction it brought, he wondered if he would have much to do. No sooner had he thought that did he realise they had been surrounded.

"These guys are pretty good." he mused.

"Nothing we can't handle." Chiba replied determinedly. He had really married the right woman.

* * *

"Now!" came Lelouch's voice from over the intercom.

"Finally!" Gino exclaimed. There were several vast explosions along the mountain top which sent clouds of dust high into the air, obscuring all vision. Kallen had finished her job. Now it was his turn. He put on a specially made visor made by Rakshata. As soon as he put it on, he could see numerous Knightmares glowing red, orange and yellow amongst the dust and smoke. Why hadn't any of them ever thought of using heat vision before? The enemy units were sitting ducks.

"Let's go, _Tristan Annihilator_!" he shouted, before pushing the ignition trigger. His Knightmare had undergone a vast change ever since it had been rebuild by Rakshata. For one, it could no longer transform. It didn't look anything like the _Tristan Divider_ either. However, he liked it. It had been made to suit all his preferences.

Hidden by a cloaking system, the _Tristan Annihilator_ flew up high, invisible to all except the Knightmare units of The Black Knights. Rakshata was truly a genius. Only those Knightmares installed with a special visualizer unit could pick him up on radar. Gino could only smile to himself. He had a time limit of five minutes to destroy as many enemy units as possible before the cloaking system wore out, one of the many reasons why it had not been installed for everyone. He felt like it was a personal honour to have it tested out on his Knightmare.

"Those enemy Knightmares won't know what hit them." he thought to himself, smiling.

* * *

"Now!" came Lelouch's voice from over the intercom. Sayoko nodded her head slightly, acknowledging the order. She immediately began keying in several commands into the flight interface in front of her. The engines of the escape ship began to whirr. The ground shook. Sayoko felt slightly nostalgic. Hadn't she done something like this before?

Strapped down in a seat behind her was Nunnally. Nunnally had already recovered from her illness but looked visibly pale. She twiddled her fingers and fidgeted non-stop. She never liked fighting but this time they had no choice. It was either the enemy went down or the world would be subjected to an endless suffering. She would not have that. She trusted her brother. Even with all his pretences he did everything for her in the end. She wanted to help but she felt so useless. Nunnally clasped her two hands together and bowed her head. She could only pray.

A puff of smoke went into the air and hung there for a moment before dissipating. Rakshata sighed. She was lying on a long couch that had been placed in the escape ship especially for her. She swung her pipe around while twirling a long strand of her blond hair.

"Here we go again." she thought. She really missed the action.

* * *

"Now!" came Lelouch's voice from over the intercom. There was the sound of explosions. Suzaku gritted his teeth. Of all the jobs handed out by Lelouch his was probably the toughest. Behind the _Lancelot Seraphim_ was the escape ship Nunnally, Sayoko and Rakshata were in. The launch platform had already been prepared before-hand. All he needed to do was to guide the escape ship to safety through the chaos outside. Lelouch had predicted that there would be several thousand enemy Knightmares coming up against them. He was right.

"This is going to be quite difficult." thought Suzaku to himself. He could only hope that Kallen and Gino would clear a path for him. However he knew that ultimately some fighting had to be done. He sighed as he remembered Lelouch's last words to him before being dismissed.

"I leave Nunnally in your hands!"

Suzaku smiled. That Lelouch always gave him the hardest jobs.

"We're ready Suzaku." came Sayoko's voice over the intercom. Suzaku took a deep breath. They would get out of this. After all, they still had a trump card that the enemy did not know of. He put his key into the ignition slot and turned. There was a pleasant hum and the view screen lighted up. The words _Lancelot Seraphim_ appeared briefly before fading away, replaced by a view of the outside. Lelouch put his hand on the ignition lever. It was time to go.

"_Lancelot Seraphim_, launch!" he pushed the lever to full throttle. There was a blinding flash of light before energy feathers sprouted out from the wing panels, taking the shape of two large angel's wings. The _Lancelot_ bent over and spread its legs with its right arm placed upon the ground. There was a deafening boom as it took off, with the escape ship at its tail. It was now or never.

* * *

Lelouch ran as he had never run before. He looked at his watch. He had slightly under two minutes left. The launch bay seemed so far away. He heard the sound of ignition.

"That must be Suzaku taking off." he thought inwardly. Nunnally was in safe hands. He was relieved. It was only a matter of time before the rock slide buried _The Vestige_ along with him. Either that or… Lelouch smiled as he thought of his real plan. Sacrificing the ship was a given. They would have never been able to make their escape in such a large vessel against enemy numbers such as this. Everything had been factored into his calculations. In fact, everything was going exactly as planned outside. However, Lelouch realised that if he ran any slower, he would be the one to doom them all if he did not manage to escape in time.

"I swear that if I get out of this alive I'll work out!" he cried out loud as he continued to run.

* * *

Kallen had single handedly taken down several dozen enemy Knightmare units. However, their numbers did not seem to be declining at all. There were just too many aerial units! She could see explosions in the distance. Was that Gino doing his work? Kallen bit her lip and continued firing lasers in quick succession to take down enemy units. These were no amateurs she was up against. Their Knightmares were relatively mediocre in every aspect but their pilots were no doubt skilled. The way they dodged her attacks almost gracefully frustrated her.

"If this keeps up I won't be able to clear a path for the escape ship!" she thought in a panic. She hated being swarmed.

Gino weaved in between exploding enemy units, destroying them in quick succession. It seemed that the enemy had realised an enemy they could not see was assaulting them, for they were firing in random directions. It had been easy in the beginning but Gino realised he had spent the past minute trying to dodge stray lasers more than destroying enemy Knightmares. Time was running out. He glanced at the timer on his screen. Thirty seconds left.

He sighed. Installing the cloaking system meant that his Knightmare's combat capabilities were compromised to prevent the engine from being over-taxed. If the timer ran out and he was exposed, it was going to be a difficult fight. He had to utilize the thirty seconds to their maximum capacity! Where was Suzaku and the escape ship?

* * *

Suzaku was met with fierce opposition as he led the escape ship out of the mountain crevice wherein _The Vestige_ had been hidden for the last month. He took them out with no difficulty but the problem was that they kept coming at him. It was endless. He figured that Kallen and Gino alone would not be able to take care of them all.

"There's just too damn many of them." he thought as he destroyed another enemy Knightmare. Things were not looking good. Suzaku glanced at his radar. About three-quarters of the aerial units along with three-quarters or the ground units had been taken out via a combination of the rockslide, Kallen as well as Gino. However, it seemed the enemy had realised that ultimately, they would make their escape from the crevice. Kallen and Gino had let an odd hundred plus aerial units through and they approached fast. More would come soon.

Suzaku looked at the timer on his screen. If his calculations were correct, it was roughly another two minutes before their trump card would activate.

"Looks like it's a fight to stall time." Suzaku thought, smiling. He had not been excited in quite a while.

* * *

"Take that!" shouted Tohdoh as the _Shin Zangetsu's_ Brake Sword slashed through an enemy unit. His skills had not rusted at all even though he had not engaged in combat for years. He knew that he had to keep up the training regime in case something like this ever happened.

Chiba's face was screwed up in concentration as she dodged both enemy units as well as falling debris from the rock slide above them, which continued to relentlessly shower rocks and boulders. Tohdoh glanced at the radar.

"Tch. Still about a quarter of the ground units are left. These odds…" Tohdoh found himself thinking helplessly.

"It's time!" Chiba cried out, startling Tohdoh from his thoughts. Finally! The timer on their screen had reached zero and the _Shin Zangetsu_ immediately positioned itself next to a detonation mechanism that had been concealed prior to the battle in a familiar cave opening. Lelouch really used everything to his advantage. He used the Brake Sword to stab the mechanism and a few seconds later, the ground began to tremor violently.

"Let's get out of here." Tohdoh suggested to Chiba. He did not want to get involved in whatever was coming next. If what Lelouch had said was right, things were going to get messy.

* * *

The timer had struck zero. Kallen smiled. So the enemy thought that they were just going for an all-out fight? They could not be any more foolish. She pressed a button and shouted into the intercom.

"Gino, let's go!"

Kallen fled from the battle, and several enemy Knightmares followed. She could take care of those small fry. More importantly, did Suzaku manage to do his job right? The tremors were getting stronger by the second.

* * *

"Gino, let's go!" came Kallen's voice from over the intercom. Gino smiled.

"I didn't need her telling me what to do geez." he thought, amused. His cloaking mechanism had worn out and his Knightmare was revealed for all to see. He immediately flew away from the main battle and a few enemy Knightmares followed.

"Everything's going as planned. Now I need to locate Tohdoh and Chiba." he thought to himself. He scanned the ground below for the agreed rendezvous point. He hoped that they were alright. The tremors were getting stronger by the second.

* * *

A red light begin to flash in Suzaku's cockpit.

"It's time." he thought. Suzaku was amazed. Everything was going exactly as planned thus far. There was just one last piece of the puzzle left! Lelouch was spot on as always.

He glanced at his radar. Next to all the enemy aerial units were in the crevice. Him, as well as the escape ship were trapped, but this was all part of the plan. Kallen and Gino had merely been pretending to fight but had been letting aerial units through bit by bit. Tohdoh's job was to concentrate the ground units at a single location. He had done his job. Gino was going to get Tohdoh and Chiba out of the area anytime now. Everything depended on the last piece. Everything would be decided once the king made his move.

* * *

"Those guys are goners. Move in for the final attack. Destroy that white Knightmare and the escape vessel at all costs!" an Equitorian Knightmare pilot announced into his intercom. Him, as well as the entire group of aerial Knightmare units he was leading prepared for one final attack.

He had to admit, the enemy was smarter than they appeared, using that rockslide to wipe out so many ground units. The dust and smoke also obscured their vision. The enemy had powerful Knightmare units on their side as well and a quarter of their aerial units had been wiped out by just two Knightmares! He was outraged.

"It doesn't matter. In the face of out vast numbers nothing you could do will change the outcome!" he exclaimed in triumph. The distance between his aerial army, the white enemy Knightmare, as well as the escape vessel closed rapidly. They would soon engage in combat. In such a closed crevice, the odds of victory were one hundred percent! As thoughts ran through his mind, he failed to see a single black Knightmare materialize in front of his eyes. When he noticed, it was already too late.

"What..." he exclaimed, eyes wide in surprise and fear.

The rest of his words were drowned out as a massive purple beam disintegrated his Knightmare, along with many others.

* * *

"What simpletons." Lelouch mused, his hand over his face, a satisfied smile on his face. He had won. He gazed on dreamily as the fearsome beam of his new Knightmare blew a large gap in the enemy formation.

Rakshata had built the _Ragnarok_ as inspiration she had gained from The Demon Emperor's own Knightmare. The _Ragnarok_ was a Knightmare that had the same capability to transcend dimensions and materialize anywhere at will within fixed parameters. Lelouch was proud.

It was just moments ago that he had been running through _The Vestige's_ corridors to get to the launch bay in time. He had arrived not a second too late. The _Ragnarok_ was already fired up and ready for launch.

"You never cease to amaze do you… Lelouch?" came C.C's voice, a small smile on her face, though her eyes were blank as ever. She was seated, as usual, in front of Lelouch in the cockpit. It was she who had waited patiently in the _Ragnarok_ for Lelouch's arrival as he entered the self-destruction sequence into _The Vestige_.

"Is that a compliment C.C? That's rare." Lelouch teased. He could not help but feel jubilant. He had not lost his touch at all. Everything went as planned. Victory was to The Black Knights! In a matter of seconds, the _Ragnarok_, together with_ Lancelot Seraphim_ and the escape ship managed to squeeze through the temporary gap created in the enemy flanks and out of the crevice.

Lelouch began to laugh maniacally as he counted down the seconds in his head. Five seconds. Four seconds. Three seconds. Two seconds. One second.

Many things happened at once. The ground cracked open, engulfing all the enemy ground units as they fell into a fiery demise. The entire region was actually volcanic. Lelouch had learned that right beneath them was a river of magma, and the mountain chain they had been hiding in would erupt when provoked. That provocation came in the form of a replica of the microwave radiation emitter in the _Guren's_ right arm. A rather large replica. The detonation mechanism had been activated by Tohdoh and Chiba, who would be rescued by Gino as planned at a fixed Rendezvous point. The eruption occurred right in the crevice wherein _The Vestige _was hiding, and together with the massive explosion from _The Vestige's_ self destruction served to wipe out every single aerial unit that A.A had thrown at them.

Lelouch gazed down at the massive destruction beneath him as the _Ragnarok_ sailed high above the mountain chain. Everywhere he looked, he could only see glowing magma and the remains of enemy Knightmares. Suzaku continued to lead the escape ship away from the scene of the great battle as planned. Lelouch saw the _Tristan Annihilator_ carrying the _Shin Zangetsu_ in the distance. Gino, Tohdoh and Chiba were safe. Kallen had flew down in _Guren _right next to him. Everything was as envisioned. The Black Knights had won their first battle against the enemy. Lelouch smirked.

Victory was sweet.

* * *

**Lelouch, master tactician. Leader of The Black Knights. Now greatest enemy of the Equitorian Empire. With their first victory in hand, the rebellion can only get bigger!**

**My exams are over for now. It'll be a month before my next exams take place. I'll try updating a bit more quickly in the meantime. Look forward to the next chapter. The rebellion begins!**

**Please review this FanFic! Arigato!**


	8. The Release

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Code Geass nor any concepts related to Code Geass. All rights, permissions, and characters are reserved and owned by Bandai.**

**The Black Knights have obtained the first victory. However, that was but a taste of the Empire's vast power. In order to proceed, new allies must be sought out. The Black Knights move on.**

**My take on what happens several years after the end of Code Geass, with the introduction of some new characters I've come up with myself. So it begins…**

* * *

**Code Geass, Lelouch of the Resurrection: The Release**

The Black Knights were soaring over an endless sea of clouds that was illuminated by the light of the moon. Suzaku took the lead with the _Lancelot Seraphim_, its massive pearly white energy wings spread out like an angel. Following closely behind it was the escape ship that held Sayoko, Nunnally and Rakshata on board. The _Guren_ acted as a rear guard for it, a crimson sentinel silently floating on. On the left and right of the escape ship were Lelouch's _Ragnarok_ and Gino's _Tristan Annihilator_ respectively. Tohdoh and Chiba's _Shin Zangetsu_ was being carried by the _Tristan Annihilator_ as it was their only Knightmare which was unable to fly.

They had been flying due east like this for a couple of hours now. The newly attained victory was fresh in everyone's minds and their spirits were high.

"Lelouch, we should land soon. We've been cooped up in our Knightmares for hours." came Suzaku's voice from over the intercom. Lelouch pressed a button on the interface in front of him.

"Good idea. Could you scan the terrain beneath us and find a suitable place to land?" Lelouch replied.

"Roger that." Suzaku answered.

Before long, they were descending beneath the clouds. A vast plain soon became visible, marked by small lights at sporadic intervals that indicated tiny dwellings. There was a long winding river making its way across the landscape, with a snowy mountain at its source. There were also numerous patches of forest and grassland, and moments later, large trees became visible as they dropped in altitude. They finally landed near a lake, away from the eyes of civilisation. In times like these, it was difficult to tell if one would be betrayed to the Empire. It was safer to land in the wilderness for the time being.

As soon as they had landed, Lelouch began to key in the shut down sequence for the _Ragnarok. _The cockpit lights faded off and the engine whirred to a halt. The hatch eased open and he climbed out. C.C followed closely behind him. She had not said a word throughout the entire flight. Lelouch sensed that there was something wrong but decided to leave her to her thoughts.

By then, everyone else too had already descended and was out of their Knightmares. Kallen was stretching her stiff limbs. Suzaku was washing his face in the lake. Gino and Tohdoh were having a conversation while Chiba stood silently at Tohdoh's side. Sayoko had pushed Nunnally out on her wheelchair and Rakshata followed closely behind, her pipe already lit and issuing a thin stream of smoke. Lelouch decided that it was perhaps best to stay for the night. Everyone looked tired and he did not exactly have a good sleep the previous night. He suspected the rest felt the same. C.C had wandered off into the trees nearby out of boredom and Lelouch decided to leave her alone for now. He approached Suzaku, who had taken a seat at the lake's edge.

"Suzaku." Lelouch called out.

Suzaku turned to see Lelouch and waved. He gestured for Lelouch to sit beside him. After Lelouch had settled down the two gazed into the distance. The lake surface was still, and gave a soft glow even though the moon was obscured by the clouds.

"Hey Lelouch. Want to skip stones on the water surface?" Suzaku suggested, a mischievous smile on his face. Lelouch turned to look at him, amused.

"Why not." Lelouch replied. At other times he would have declined but he was in a good mood and perhaps Suzaku had sensed that. The two old friends were soon skipping stones and laughing with each other.

Kallen raised an eyebrow as she watched the two at the lake's edge. Lelouch must have been _really_ happy to get back at the enemy. She had only ever seen Lelouch do stuff like that once in a while. That guy never knew how to have fun. Kallen shivered. It was getting chilly.

"When's the fire going to be ready?" she asked. Behind her, Tohdoh had begun lighting a fire the traditional way by rubbing sticks while Gino watched in apparent amazement. Kallen smirked. Gino came from a wealthy family. He had probably never heard of a campfire in his life. Tohdoh's face was screwed up in concentration as he patiently and skillfully started the fire. Soon smoke began to issue from the pile of wood, and before long a small fire had been lit. Gino enthusiastically began to throw loose pieces of sticks into the fire to get it going and Tohdoh got up to leave.

Kallen took a place next to the growing fire and stretched out her hands to warm them. Her hair had been tied into a long ponytail to prevent it from getting in her face during combat or when piloting the _Guren_. Gino just looked at the fire as if it were the most wondrous thing he had ever gazed upon. Kallen looked around. Lelouch and Suzaku had stopped their little game and were talking to each other now. Tohdoh had left to join Chiba somewhere in the escape ship. Rakshata stood at the entrance of the landing platform, smoking her pipe. Sayoko was pushing Nunnally towards them. Kallen waved at Nunnally, who waved back.

"Nunnally you must be cold. Come sit with us." Kallen cried out. Nunnally gave her a sweet smile and Sayoko pushed her next to Kallen before taking a bow and leaving. Nunnally too had stretched out her hands to the fire.

"Why's Sayoko not sitting with us?" Kallen asked.

"She has to prepare beds for everyone in the ship." Nunnally replied.

"Ah…"

Soon, Lelouch and Suzaku too had taken a place around the fire. Rakshata had vanished into the ship again. The fire crackled and released tiny glowing embers every now and then. It cast an orange glow onto their Knightmares, which stood silently in place. Kallen felt at peace. It had been a long time since she had gone out in her Knightmare and just fighting for a single purpose with everyone was the best feeling. She smiled to herself and looked at her friends. Lelouch was gazing thoughtfully into the fire. Suzaku was smiling lazily and had his hands on his lap. Nunnally looked like she was dozing off. Gino… Was still seemingly amazed by the fire. Kallen started to laugh. Before long, everyone was laughing merrily with her. Their laughter echoed into the deep, dark night. They still had a long way to go but she would not trade a single moment with them for anything else in the world.

* * *

"Come out, I know you're there." C.C spoke to nobody in particular. She had wandered off into the trees to get some peace and quiet. In the distance she could hear laughter and it made her feel slightly… Miserable. However, right at that very moment, she had felt a presence behind her.

"Oh dear. I got caught." came a deep woman's voice. C.C turned around and came face to face with a tall, pale-skinned woman. She was about to ask for her identity when she noticed the long black hair and flowing black gown. Something in her memory resurfaced.

"Are you… A.A…?" C.C said weakly, her voice quivering. She put on a courageous front but inside she was shaking. A.A just smiled and came ever closer. Why did this woman always cause her such deep fear?

"C.C… Did you miss me?" A.A asked longingly. The two stared each other down for a long time. Even though C.C could not die, she felt that her life was in danger. Every time she heard about A.A and her misdeeds a part of her would feel a strange sense of terror. She didn't understand. Why did everything seem so familiar about this woman even though they had never actually met? Was this not the first time?

"Get away from me." C.C cried out, backing away several steps. Her eyes were wide open. Why did it feel so cold?

A.A frowned and her eyes flashed red. The mark of Geass had appeared on her forehead.

"I just wanted to talk. I bear no animosity towards any of you. Not even that brat Lelouch. Turns out that he's quite the smart one." A.A spoke with malice. C.C backed into a tree. She was cornered.

"Leave me alone. Please. Please…" C.C begged. Tears began to flow involuntarily. Why? She was so confused. Memories of A.A flashed before her eyes. Memories? They had never met. Why then did she have memories of her? Why was she so afraid to be hurt by her?

A.A saw C.C's distress and smiled demonically. The Geass symbol on her forehead shined brighter.

"My, my. I'll bet you're feeling rather… Confused now? You're afraid of me but you don't know why. Shall I tell you C.C? Shall I reveal to you the source of all those memories that you can't piece together? Shall I… Tell you everything..?" A.A offered. The forbidden fruit hung just out of reach.

"Everything..?" C.C replied, sweating profusely. Was she about to learn about her distant past which she could not recall? Why she had been forced into slavery? Why she had been given the Code?

A.A walked closer until she was face to face with C.C. She planted a small kiss on C.C's forehead before whispering softly into C.C's ear.

"Yes… I'll tell you everything… My daughter."

C.C's eyes widened. Everything fell into place.

"Mother?"

* * *

The clock struck twelve. Kallen tossed and turned in her make-shift bed, trying to find a comfortable position. She had been doing so for the past fifteen minutes. She was on the verge of giving up.

"Ah screw this!" she cried out loud, sitting bolt upright. She realized too late that she had shouted and quickly covered her mouth with both hands. Nobody in the room stirred. She sighed with relief that she had not woken everyone up. It was then that she noticed that Lelouch's bed was empty.

"Lelouch?"

Curiously, Kallen crawled out of bed and made her way across the room, taking care not to accidentally thread on anyone. She made her way around the ship, trying to locate Lelouch but with no success. She then proceeded to look for him outside. She immediately spotted him, sitting alone by the dying embers of the fire and prodding the remains with a stick. Kallen stood there watching him for five entire minutes, feeling at a loss as to whether she should approach him. He looked… Lost.

Kallen decided after much deliberation that she would go and ask him if anything was wrong. It was no big deal. They were friends. What was wrong with sitting next to him and talking? In the middle of the night? Just the two of them? With no one… Watching?

A sudden mental image of Lelouch and herself sharing a passionate moment in the moonlight surfaced in her mind and Kallen hastily pushed it away.

"No! What are you thinking Kallen? Just go out there and treat it like a normal conversation!" she scolded herself. She then proceeded to move towards him.

Lelouch sensed someone approaching and looked up. It was dark but he could vaguely make out who it was.

"Kallen! It's late. Why aren't you asleep? We have another long day tomorrow." he questioned sternly.

By then Kallen had taken a seat beside him, her long hair swishing about.

"I could say the same about you." she retorted. Lelouch decided that it was best not to say anything and continued prodding the fire. A long moment passed. Kallen cleared her throat.

"Erm… Lelouch?" she started.

"What is it Kallen?" he replied, eyes still fixed on the fire.

"You got anything you wanna… Talk about?" she asked.

"Nothing in particular." came his curt reply.

"Ok." she finished. Kallen was mentally slapping herself. Why was it so hard to strike up a conversation with him? What was his problem anyway? It was so rude not to look at someone while speaking!

"Er… Lelouch?" she tried again.

"What is it Kallen?" he replied. He was still evidently lost in thought.

"I… I erm…" she stuttered. What was she supposed to say? This was stupid!

"Yes Kallen?" Lelouch answered. Kallen turned her head and realised that he was facing her. She stared deep into his eyes. Her mouth went dry. In her head a voice was screaming for her to just say something normal and start a conversation. It was easy. Just say…

"I love you."

There was a period of long silence. Lelouch had dropped the stick he was holding. Somewhere in the distance an owl hooted. Kallen felt her temperature rising fast and her cheeks redden. She had screwed up. Big time.

"I meant… Erm… I love you… When… You're using your Knightmare! Yes that's it! Hahaha! You know how cool you look when you're at the controls? I would love to take a ride with you in the cockpit one day! How about it? Oh wait that sounded…" Kallen stopped, realizing that she was making less and less sense and getting into more and more dangerous territory.

"Goodnight!" she cried out before dashing off back into the ship.

Lelouch just stared after her.

"This is just… A dream. Yes. A dream." he said to himself wearily, before getting up to go back to bed. It had been a long day. Perhaps too long.

* * *

**A shocking revelation about C.C's true beginnings. Does A.A speak the truth? Moreover, Kallen struggles with her feelings about Lelouch! Things are about to get even more chaotic.**

**My exams are over for now. It'll be a month before my next exams take place. I'll try updating a bit more quickly in the meantime. Look forward to the next chapter. The rebellion begins!**

**Please review this FanFic! Arigato!**

**(P.S. Before anyone starts saying that C.C is severely out of character in this chapter, let me clarify that it's not necessarily so. Just imagine her returning back to her "slave state" as terrible memories of the past flood C.C's mind. A.A is truly more terrifying than any of you could ever imagine! You'll know soon enough.)**


	9. The Recluse

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Code Geass nor any concepts related to Code Geass. All rights, permissions, and characters are reserved and owned by Bandai.**

**Things get darker and more mysterious as A.A reveals herself to C.C, with a shocking revelation in tow. Is everything as it seems? Meanwhile, what of Lelouch and Kallen? **

**My take on what happens several years after the end of Code Geass, with the introduction of some new characters I've come up with myself. So it begins…**

* * *

**Code Geass, Lelouch of the Resurrection: The Recluse**

"Mother?" quivered C.C's voice.

A brief smile flickered on A.A's face, before it gave way to a look of immense sorrow.

"So you finally remember me…" A.A started, tears forming at the corners of her eyes, but the rest of the words were drowned as she whispered them into C.C's ear.

C.C's eyes widened further, her mouth agape.

"Im-Impossible. She knows my name…" C.C thought to herself. It all felt so familiar. Yet… What was with this immense feeling of fear? Part of her wanted to believe but another part of her was screaming at her to run; to get as far away from this woman as possible. To trust her words or trust her instincts? What would Lelouch do in this situation? Normally she'd have no trouble making such a rational decision but her mind was a blank now. Why was she thinking of Lelouch?

"Somebody… Somebody help me…" C.C pleaded inwardly.

As if reading her thoughts, A.A stroked C.C's hair comfortingly and following which, pulled her into a deep embrace. C.C gasped aloud but suddenly, an unnatural feeling of warmth stole over her and she allowed herself to be taken in. C.C felt cold tears spill onto her shoulder.

"Do not fear what you do not know, C.C. I have longed to see you for such a long time. Alas, I have had to hide for such a long time. Come, let us talk." A.A cooed gently.

She released C.C from her arms and then took C.C's hand in her own. A.A smiled knowingly at C.C, tears shimmering in her chilling eyes. The symbol of Geass on A.A's forehead shined hot white. C.C was confused but yet, she wanted to know everything. Maybe, just maybe, A.A would be able to truly help her, where no one else could. After all, it took one witch to know another. C.C did not struggle to free herself from A.A's grip but instead allowed for herself to be lead; to be lead wherever A.A wanted to take her…

"Come now, let's go somewhere quiet. Then, I'll tell you everything my dear. Your past, and perhaps, even a bit of the future." A.A whispered coercingly.

Without any warning, the two women vanished into the darkness, leaving nothing but an uneasy silence hanging in the still night air.

* * *

Lelouch sat bolt upright in his make-shift bed. Beads of perspiration dripped from his forehead and he was panting heavily. No, it wasn't a nightmare but a bad premonition that had shaken him. He cupped his face in his left palm. What was this uneasy feeling in the pit of his gut?

"Good morning, master Lelouch." Came a voice.

Lelouch jumped, startled, and turned around quickly and came face to face, almost literally, with Sayoko.

"Breakfast?" she continued mechanically.

Lelouch took a fraction of a second to make sense of his surroundings before blurting out a quick "yes", to which Sayoko bowed and proceeded off to carrying out her task. He put a hand to his chest, which was heaving from the shock. His fight or flight response was in full throttle. Clearly this wasn't good for him. He stood up and stretched his limbs, which were sore from his awkward sleeping position in the ship's control seat. He had remembered taking his sheets from somewhere on the floor and placing them on the seat before collapsing into it the night before. He remembered not being able to sleep at one point and getting out of bed to get some warmth by the fire. He also remembered something which caused a strange burning sensation on his face.

"Suzaku's going to have a field day if he finds out what I dreamt of last night." Lelouch thought to himself, getting redder by the second and shaking his head to get the memory out of his mind.

Lelouch observed the rest of the ship's interior and realized that he was perhaps the last to awaken. The bed sheets that covered much of the floor last night were gone, probably packed away courtesy of Sayoko. The escape ship was tiny by normal standards. Its interior was probably as large as the biggest room in _The Vestige_. There was only enough space for everyone to sleep crammed up on the floor as most of the room was taken up by the large couch Rakshata had demanded to be put in there, a table for strategic meetings and the flight control panel and control seat. This was, of course, not counting the space also taken up by the washrooms, changing rooms and kitchen.

Lelouch turned to the ship's entrance doorway as the sound of footsteps began to echo up the landing platform and through it. He then saw Kallen peek in and observe the ship's interior cautiously, as if surveying the situation for possible ambush. Her eyes then fell on Lelouch and their gaze met for just a second, during which Lelouch remembered his dream and felt his face burn again. What was strange however was Lelouch's observation that Kallen's face turned a shade of crimson resembling her hair, before she quickly darted out of sight and ran back down the ship's landing platform. Lelouch was half bemused and half surprised. What could have possibly drawn such a reaction from her?

Sayoko emerged from the kitchen with a tray laden with too much breakfast for one person. Lelouch still had his eyes fixed on the spot where Kallen's head had been mere seconds before and did not see her.

"Master Lelouch, are you feeling unwell? Your face is terribly flushed." Sayoko voiced with concern from across the room.

Lelouch turned to her, startled out of his many thoughts. He remembered having asked her to make breakfast just now.

"No... I'm fine. Yes, I'm fine. Now, let's see what you've made for breakfast." Lelouch began.

Lelouch then felt another uneasy feeling in his gut, though this time it wasn't because of any bad premonition, but because he saw the huge tray Sayoko was carrying towards him.

* * *

Lelouch hobbled down the ship's landing platform, clutching his stomach. When was the last time he had had so much to eat? He covered his mouth to prevent a loud burp from emerging. Clearly, his royal upbringing was still intact. He shielded his eyes as he emerged in the bright sunlight. It was already approaching noon as the sun hung almost directly above him. The heat was bearable and the air was cool and crisp. It was also rather humid, due to the large lake nearby.

Lelouch saw Suzaku and Gino sparring at the edge of the sparkling blue lake. They blocked and dodged each other's blows with great agility and Lelouch wondered inwardly if hand-to-hand combat was actually of any use in this day and age.

Rakshata was busy repairing whatever damages the Knightmares had sustained from the recent battle. She was so engrossed in her work that she failed to notice her pipe had slipped out of her pocket and fallen to the ground. Chiba was watching Rakshata work in mild interest, although one questioned if she was there to actually watch Rakshata or if she was more worried about Tohdoh, who was presumably in the cockpit of the _Shin Zangetsu_, as Rakshata appeared to be talking to someone inside the machine.

Nunnally was sitting in her wheelchair by the ashes of the fire they had made the night before. She appeared to be deep in thought but on closer observation Lelouch realized his sister had fallen asleep, given away by her erratic nodding head.

Lelouch sighed. They all seemed so carefree, but he knew that deep in their hearts all of them carried fear. He knew but yet would never understand just what all of them had gone through in the last few years. He had, after all, been lying underground rather peacefully. They had all aged whereas he had not, and though he had never mentioned it, he realized just how much older all of them looked now, and they bore the eyes of people whom had seen death repetitively.

"No more. I won't have it anymore." Lelouch vowed silently. He clenched his fist as he realized that this was all the doing of just one man.

"Serafius." Lelouch mouthed, as if saying the name itself would convey the hatred Lelouch felt towards him. He clenched his fists till his knuckles were white. He would have no more of his friends suffering.

Just then, Lelouch realized that Kallen and C.C were nowhere in sight. He remembered vaguely C.C wandering into the trees the night before. For some reason he started to worry. It wasn't what he usually did when thinking about C.C. She had a knack for being able to take care of herself. Heck, she couldn't even be killed. Yet, something nagged at the back of his mind. It wasn't like her to just disappear for such a long time. He realized that throughout the night he had felt a rare lonely sensation. Could it be that her absence made him realize he did not really have anyone he could confide his deepest concerns to? No, that wasn't right. Not right at all. Yet, how was he to explain his longing for company as he sat at the fire alone last night, only to be interrupted by the appearance of Kallen?

"Hold on a minute…" Lelouch realized suddenly that perhaps his dream had not been a dream after all. That would explain Kallen's reaction just moments ago. Had she told anyone about it? Had she told _Suzaku_ about it? Lelouch felt his head bursting with the possibilities and the repercussions of what had happened beside the fire last night. It was unbelievable how things like these made him feel despite the huge predicament and danger the Black Knights were in currently.

"Women. Never cross them." Lelouch mentally noted, deciding that it would be best to talk to his sister first as he made his way towards her. Yes, he had forgotten for just a moment that she wasn't the kid she used to be anymore. He could confide these things in her. Yes, the answer to all his questions about women may just lie in her hands!

Suddenly a shrill scream broke out from somewhere within the forest. Lelouch was immediately roused out of his thoughts. He felt a mix of emotions as he realized that it was Kallen. He immediately broke into a run. Lelouch saw from out of the corner of his eyes Tohdoh, Suzaku and Gino running to join him and catching up with him in no time at all. Once again Lelouch contemplated improving his fitness.

The quartet darted in between trees and over protruding roots, in the approximate direction from which Kallen's scream had been heard. Perhaps due to Suzaku's uncanny tracking ability, they soon reached a clearing in the forest and what they saw stopped them in their tracks. Lelouch in particular, felt a dreaded chill run down his spine.

"A.A." was the name that came to his mind as he saw C.C's mortally wounded body lying face down on the ground, with the blood from her wounds splattered in the shape of what was unmistakably the symbol of Geass. Kallen was kneeling down next to C.C's body, sobbing uncontrollably and in a state of visible shock. Lelouch looked from one girl to the other and immediately his mind began to take action.

"Suzaku, Gino, Tohdoh! Return back and warn the others that we're no longer safe here. No, perhaps we're no longer safe anywhere. Quickly! The enemy may have captured them whilst we were absent! This may be a distraction!" Lelouch barked, his mind a whirl as he thought of Nunnally and how foolish he was to have left her without considering her vulnerability. Only Sayoko and Chiba were capable of combat and even then they probably would be at the mercy of the enemy. Why did all the men have to rush out all at once?

"Suzaku, take Kallen with you. I'll attend to C.C!" he shouted, looking directly at Suzaku. Suzaku saw the look in Lelouch's eyes and without question grabbed Kallen and carried her to safety. Within seconds, Suzaku, Gino and Tohdoh had made a dash back to camp, with the distraught Kallen in custody.

As the sound of their footsteps faded into the distance, silence once again fell and Lelouch turned to look at C.C. He stepped towards her body slowly, his feet feeling as if they weighed a ton each. Half of C.C's face could be seen and Lelouch noted the look of shock upon it. He could see the stains where tears had flowed down her cheeks. Her eyes were puffy and red, and they were wide open, looking into space. He knelt down beside her body and placed a hand upon her back before proceeding to give her a gentle shake.

"C.C, Answer me, C.C!" Lelouch shouted exasperatingly. He felt panic. She could not have died right? It was impossible. Any moment now she would wake up and perhaps even say to him sarcastically that she was having a good nap. Yes, that would be it. It had to be.

Minutes seemed like hours as the time whittled away. Lelouch had given up trying to verbally rouse her and he merely sat there, waiting for a response. No, she could not have died. Not C.C. That was impossible…

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he saw her hand twitch. Lelouch immediately proceeded to continue shaking her again, more out of instinct than anything else.

"C.C! Can you hear me? C.C!" Lelouch half-pleaded. He could not care what anyone would say if they saw him in this state. As long as she was ok, what did it matter?

C.C however, did not budge. Disappointed, Lelouch stood up and clenched his fists, his head held up high and looking into the leafy canopy above. A small tear rolled down his cheek. Lelouch felt a presence behind him then, but did not turn to acknowledge it.

"Lelouch? Is C.C ok?" came Suzaku's worried voice. Lelouch did not reply but merely remained in quiet anger, his fists shaking so slightly that nobody would have noticed.

"Everyone else's fine." Suzaku continued, as if trying to reassure Lelouch. "However as a precaution we've packed up and wiped off any trace of us being here. We're ready to go once you give the command Lelouch."

He was not leaving. Not without C.C. Lelouch stood there resolutely. Nothing Suzaku could say would make him move from this spot, not until she woke up.

An uneasy silence passed between them. Suzaku cleared his throat. The sound of birds chirping came from somewhere faraway. There was also the faint sound of engines humming in the distance.

Without warning, a cough broke out from C.C. Lelouch and Suzaku were startled back to reality as both immediately surrounded her. As if by magic, which it probably was, they observed her wounds recover by themselves, though the gashes in her clothes did not. The expression of shock on her face was replaced by one of pain, as she winced and bit her lip, before proceeding to wrap her arms around her own body.

"No… No… No!" C.C began wailing hysterically and twitching violently. Lelouch and Suzaku together did not have enough strength to hold her down but no sooner had she begun, the thrashing stopped and C.C settled down. Suddenly, her eyes flew open and she sat upright so quickly that both men took several steps backwards, as if expecting an assault.

C.C just sat there, taking in her surroundings. She blinked several times and then turned her head to look, first at Lelouch, then at Suzaku. She then raised her arms in self-defence and shuffled away from the both of them in utmost terror.

"Don't hurt me! I don't know who you are but don't hurt me!" she pleaded. Tears had begun streaming down her face again. Lelouch and Suzaku looked at each other in horror.

"Not this again…" Lelouch found himself thinking. C.C had reverted back to her old self.

* * *

**Just what did A.A do to C.C, causing trauma such as to revert C.C back to her old persona? What will the Black Knights do now, knowing that perhaps nowhere is truly safe? Danger, it seems, lurks at every corner…**

**Sorry this took so long! It's been nearly a year since the last update and I apologize terribly for it. You see, I'm Singaporean and for males of my age there's this compulsory army thing. So I've often been run too ragged to get inspiration. I'm still in the army now but I guess procrastination must come to an end sooner or later. So look forward to the next chapter!**

**Please review this FanFic! Arigato!**


	10. The Renewal

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Code Geass nor any concepts related to Code Geass. All rights, permissions, and characters are reserved and owned by Bandai.**

**With C.C reverted back to her old self now, what course of action will Lelouch choose to take? With a single stroke, the enemy has revealed the Black Knight's vulnerability! Can they ever find safe refuge? **

**My take on what happens several years after the end of Code Geass, with the introduction of some new characters I've come up with myself. So it begins…**

* * *

**Code Geass, Lelouch of the Resurrection: The Renewal**

Lelouch looked on, at a loss for words at what to do. In front of him cowered a helpless slave girl, whom had been subjected to all the cruelties of the world. He had been through this same situation before, but nothing ever prepared him for the course of action necessary to deal with this. How did you treat somebody whom you were so familiar in an entirely different manner?

"This isn't good." Suzaku said grimly.

Lelouch nodded, unconsciously, in silent approval. This was indeed a rather inconvenient situation, and it was not just because C.C knew much more about Geass and the enemy than the rest of them did. She was perhaps his sole confidant in many things that he would otherwise leave unspoken. Now…

"Please… Please don't hurt me… I'll be good from now on! I won't run away anymore!" C.C stuttered, her arms still held over her face as if expecting a blow. Lelouch decided that not doing anything would not change the situation for the better. They had to leave this place, and fast. Who knew when the enemy would strike again? Or rather, who knew when A.A would return, if his instincts were right?

Lelouch held out a hand to C.C, who flinched and backed away several paces. He sighed.

"I'm not going to hurt you." He affirmed, and gestured for her to take his hand.

C.C continued to look suspiciously at him but after several seconds she saw that he meant no harm. She lowered her arms and placed them upon her lap. Her eye remained fix on Lelouch's outstretched hand. Slowly, and almost reluctantly, she placed one of her hands in his. The moment they touched, skin to skin, C.C's face seemed to register something, though Lelouch was not quite sure what it was. Her shaking had stopped.

"Who.. Who are you?" C.C asked, still fearfully, her eyes now focused on Lelouch's face. Golden eyes looked into deep purple ones, taking in everything. Lelouch smiled gently.

"I am Lelouch." He began. He then gestured to Suzaku who was right beside him. "This is Suzaku."

He then proceeded to help her up from the ground. She got up, unsteady on her feet. Suzaku appeared to be looking in the direction of their camp. Lelouch could see that he was impatient to leave. He knew why too; the atmosphere was getting tenser by the second.

"You are not safe here." Lelouch continued. "Follow me and I'll bring you to a place where nobody can hurt you." He beckoned for C.C to follow them. She continued to look at him, not knowing whether to trust. Yet, something about him was different. He wasn't like any of the other people. He seemed to exude a royal splendor. She gave a small, almost unnoticeable, nod.

"Let's go. Quickly." Lelouch finished.

* * *

Rakshata tapped her fingers impatiently on the metal table, periodically interrupting the heavy silence that hung amongst the members of the Black Knights. Everybody looked uneasily at the latest addition to their ranks, except that she wasn't exactly somebody new. Gino, in particular, looked positively terrified.

"Wasn't she dead just now?" Was the thought running through his mind.

C.C was chowing down on pizza slice after pizza slice with great gusto. It gave everyone the impression that she had not eaten for the longest time. The way she gobbled the food down without any sign of restraint was a sight in itself. It was most unlike the usual C.C.

Tohdoh and Chiba looked rather uncomfortable at this new development. Nunnally looked visibly upset and could be seen stealing glances at the nasty tears in C.C's clothes. Kallen was still reeling from the shock and was trying her best to stifle her sobs. Suzaku and Lelouch sat on either side of C.C and neither looked like they knew what to do about the situation before them.

"So… What happened?" Rakshata began, unable to hide the curiosity in her voice. "Looks like a case of multiple personality disorder." The sudden sound of a chair being pushed back echoed from across her.

"Hold on! Somebody tell me what's going on here!" Gino interrupted, standing up and slamming both hands on the table. He pointed a finger at C.C, which caused her to flinch and drop the slice of pizza she was holding on the floor. "I clearly saw her mortally wounded just now! How is she.. How is she..?"

"Alive?" Lelouch completed his sentence for him.

Gino nodded with a gulp, before settling back down in his chair, a look of disbelief etched upon his face.

"We never told some of you, I guess, back in the days. But C.C here, she's an immortal. A witch." Lelouch explained patiently. He then proceeded to take another slice of pizza and force it into C.C's hands, gesturing to her that it was alright and that nobody wanted to hurt her. The startled girl continued munching, though she avoided everyone's gaze.

Gino buried his face in his hands and gave a long sigh. He was clearly muttering to himself and words like "must be dreaming" and "stress" could be heard.

"Geass is a vile magic." Tohdoh commented, his arms now folded across his chest, a look of disapproval on his visage. Chiba looked from Tohdoh to Gino and finally to Lelouch, before putting a hand on her husband's shoulder in support of him.

"A v-vile m-magic that brought L-Lelouch back to us n-nonetheless." Kallen stuttered through her sobs. She rubbed her puffy eyes with the sleeve of her shirt and Sayoko gave her a tissue to which Kallen said a quiet "thanks". Suzaku absent mindedly brought his hand to his eye, but passed the motion off as an excuse to play with his fringe.

Nunnally was fidgeting with her hands. She had to say something but what could she say? She felt like a child amongst the adults.

Silence once again resumed, marred only by Rakshata's continued tapping, Kallen's sobs and C.C's chewing. The sound of a flock of birds taking off could be heard somewhere faraway.

Lelouch was thinking fervently. What a predicament. A myriad of thoughts buzzed in his mind but he was too distracted by the change in C.C's personality to concentrate on any of them. The logical course of action would be to find safety, but where in the world could they go without A.A being able to find them? The best possibility would be somewhere he could have video surveillance of everyone at any time. He needed a concrete base of operations and a lot more manpower but where in the world would he find that? Japan? All the Sakuradite necessary could be found there but it was too predictable. The enemy would obviously expect him to return there ultimately. Yet, Japan seemed logical. It had resources, much needed resources, for they were running out of supplies and it seemed now that nowhere in the world was safe for them to stop and restock. He needed C.C back. She would be able to point him in the right direction. She would be able to…

"Lelouch." Came Nunnally's quiet voice. Yet, it appeared to have a sound impact on everyone, for they all immediately turned their attention to her. She rarely spoke and perhaps could offer some wisdom that the rest of them could not grasp. Her gaze was directed at Lelouch, and he tried his best not to avoid it. A pang of guilt still resided somewhere deep in his heart but he had learned to quell it.

"We could go to the Chinese…" She suggested, almost as if she had read Lelouch's mind. Lelouch was so taken aback by this that he nearly fell off his chair. Of course! The Chinese! How could he have missed that?

"Nunnally! You're a genius!" Lelouch said aloud despite himself. He then proceeded to give a big hug to his sister, following which he stood behind her with a hand on her shoulder.

"Everyone. I've been thinking for quite a while now. Perhaps it's time to tell you everything. Our true enemy perhaps lies not in the Demon Emperor himself, no! Just as the power of Geass, this foul magic that began it all, was bestowed upon me by C.C, the enemy himself probably has the very same power, given to him by another witch!" He explained with enthusiasm, a wild smile on his face.

Everyone appeared to liven up in the fraction of a second. They knew that Lelouch had finally come up with something, thanks to Nunnally's keen input. Kallen had stopped sobbing, Rakshata had lit her pipe. Gino had a determined look on his face now and Suzaku smiled quietly in his seat. Tohdoh and Chiba merely looked at Lelouch blankly and Sayoko had already begun firing up the ship's engines. Nunnally was clearly embarrassed at how her brother had openly praised her in front of everyone and C.C had even stopped eating to listen.

"It's a battle of Geass again clearly." Lelouch continued. "Geass is a force that breeds conflict, for superior beings always try to exert dominance upon those beneath them. However! We are only behind the enemy in one thing, and one thing only. Numbers."

There was a murmur of agreement amongst the members of the Black Knights. Lelouch smiled. He had garnered their attention now. All he had to do was give the orders.

"Well then, as Nunnally has so greatly reminded us, we have an ally in the powerful force of China! So I suggest that the most logical course of action now would be to approach the emperor and seek to join forces against our common enemy! Once we close the gap between their numbers and our own, it will be a mere battle of wits once again. Just the way I like it." Lelouch finished with an air of triumph.

"Funny how the thought never crossed our minds." Suzaku added, a sheepish smile beginning to form. The gloomy atmosphere that permeated the room previously was gone now. They now had a goal and a clear direction in which to venture forth. Lelouch gave Nunnally a gentle nudge and whispered in her ear.

"Thank you Nunnally. I don't know what I'd do without you."

* * *

The Demon Emperor looked down upon the world, as he stood on a floor made entirely of glass. The symbol of Geass was stained blood red on the transparent surface. He was in a massive circular hall and huge marble pillars supported a vast ceiling, which had a carving of Geass that mirrored the one on the floor engraved into it. At one end of the hall was a set of large double doors that appeared to be wrought of gold and silver.

The sun had just begun to rise, and it threw everything in the room into stark relief. The Demon Emperor's long shadow splayed out behind him onto the walls of the hall, throwing much of it into semi-darkness. His face was obscured by a black mask, which covered most of his face save for his eyes, which burned fiery red. The mask was hewn into the vague shape of a monstrous skull.

He stood there, resolute, unmoving. Absolute. He appeared to be waiting, or rather, he was expecting something to happen. He did not know what it was, but it would come when it came. There was no sound save for the gentle humming of engines somewhere far off.

"A.A. I know you're there." The Demon Emperor spoke without warning and to nobody in particular. His voice echoed around the room before finally dissipating into silence.

"Ah… You're no fun Serafius." Came a playful woman's voice. A.A materialized out of thin air behind the Demon Emperor, her arms around his waist. He gave a long, tired sigh.

"What's the matter?" A.A asked, concerned, though she looked anything but worried. In fact she looked hungry, and she pressed her body deeply into his back. Moments passed between them.

"A.A… Might I know the reason for your absence last night..?" The Demon Emperor questioned her quietly.

"Ah… You found out..? Aw…" A.A whined mockingly, before wrapping her arms now across his neck. She gave him a kiss on the cheek, though it was shielded by his mask. The Demon Emperor sighed again, though this time he made it seem like he was addressing a badly behaved child.

"A.A… Don't leave my side ever again. Understand?" It wasn't an order, but his voice sounded dangerous. A.A seemed to sense this and the sly smile that had been on her face just a moment ago disappeared, replaced by a rather sorry expression.

"Oh don't be like this Serafius… I was only doing it for you. You see, I merely went to see my dear daughter and give her a heart to heart talk." A.A lamented. She had released the Demon Emperor from her embrace now and moved to face him. "I'd never leave you. Never."

The Demon Emperor's expression was unreadable, thanks to his mask. A.A looked at him, a look of mild worry creeping onto her face. She appeared fearful that he would be angry, that he would reject her. The Demon Emperor reached out a hand to A.A, which she took, shyly and very uncharacteristically.

"Are… Are you angry?" she asked timidly. Nobody could tell if she was merely play-acting or if she was being genuine. Nobody except the Demon Emperor that is.

"Enough of this A.A. I know that you're neither sorry nor would you really care if I were angry or not." He stated matter-of-factly. A.A's face immediately changed, forming a vicious grin.

"Tch. So cold. You'd do better than to treat me this way you know." A.A complained, though she affectionately wrapped her arm around his at the same time. The Demon Emperor sighed yet again.

"I'm tired A.A. Tired. I just wish the rest of the world would stop resisting against me. Do they not know my intention to create a perfect world? Do they not know my noble intentions to stop suffering and poverty?" he mused. A.A nestled his arm between her breasts seductively and whispered into his ear.

"Don't you mind them. Very soon my love, we will have it all to ourselves. The world and everything in it."

The Demon Emperor turned to her and, reaching one hand to his face, removed his mask just slightly so that she could plant a kiss on his lips. He caressed her pale white cheek lovingly and when they broke apart he whispered to her.

"Yes. So long as you always remain by my side..."

* * *

**The Chinese Federation is what Lelouch has his sights set upon. Yet, victory is far off as the Demon Emperor appears to be putting the final phases of his plans into action! How will things fall into place?**

**Please review this FanFic! Arigato!**


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